Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen on Sporting Club de Portugal midfielder Manuel Ugarte and recently scouted him in the Portuguese side’s clash with Arsenal.
That’s according to O Jogo, who say they were one of several sides at the Emirates for the Europa League clash earlier this month.
According to the newspaper’s information, Ugarte, who is the ‘most desirable player’ in the current Sporting squad, was the man they were watching.
His performance in the game, which was impressive despite a double yellow and subsequent red, was ‘noted’ by the clubs’ scouts.
At the moment it is too early to talk about a possible transfer and Sporting boss Rúben Amorim has made it clear to the club’s management and sporting director Hugo Viana that he wants to keep the player.
At the moment they are hoping to avoid that and instead have plans of their own to at least earn more from a potential departure.
Their plan is to hopefully sign the midfielder to a new contract with a release clause set at €80m, while also increasing the percentage of the player they hold to 80%.
They currently have 70% but that figure will increase by a further 10% so that they can earn even more from a potential sale. That, though, would require them reaching the Europa League final, playing through Champions League qualifiers or even waiting until late in the summer window.
Either way, Wolves are interested in Ugarte’s signature and watched him earlier this month ahead of a possible move.
Portugal is of course something of a home away from home for the club, who have regularly secured signings from the country in recent years and have excellent connections there to boot.
Whether they have the money to sign Ugarte remains to be seen, of course, with his price tag already high and Sporting seemingly keen to increase it.
