PSG made a lot of changes to their squad in 2023. The departure of two great players, Lionel Messi and Neymar, opened the door for a few other signings. One of their biggest additions was Manuel Ugarte in midfield. The Uruguayan midfielder is just 22 years old and joins from Portuguese club Sporting CP.
The Ligue 1 champions are in search of a Champions League title. They have made some noticeable signings in recent years, and this time Ugarte comes in as one of the biggest. PSG have made a bad start to the league season. They were held in the first two matches and then finally registered a win in their last outing. Ugarte plays in the heart of the midfield, and here are some stats that show why PSG invested heavily in the player.
Manuel Ugarte is a defensive midfielder who plays in the heart of the midfield three. He featured in the first three matches of the season. PSG’s attacking play allows such players more time with the ball at their feet. By looking at the heatmap, we can observe that Ugarte has stayed inside the opposition’s half on most occasions and operated slightly higher than his usual position.
Recoveries in attacking zones
One of the primary reasons why Ugarte was signed is his ability to recover the ball in the attacking zones. He has made 30 recoveries this season with 60% of them coming in the attacking half. These include 12 counterpressing recoveries and two dangerous recoveries.
Ball distribution and creative skills
Manuel Ugarte is decent with the ball at his feet. In this campaign, he has a 91.7% accuracy rate. The above viz shows the progressive passes of the player in the 2022-23 season. The Uruguayan had a high accuracy rate of 91.1%. His progressive passes were directed more towards the right flank. Ugarte is not known for penetrating the opposition penalty box with his passes.
When it comes to progression with the ball, Ugarte covers a lot of ground. He is present everywhere on the field. In the last campaign, he made 37 progressive runs combined in the Portuguese League, Champions League, and Europa League. Most of these runs carried the ball into the opposition’s half to create a chance for teammates.
PSG have a completely new midfield this time. Some of these players were a part of this team but were not playing regularly. This season, Ugarte has started with Warren Zaire-Emery, Fabian Ruiz, and Vitinha. They will look to create a strong midfield partnership and strengthen the team.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
