Arne Slot rejected the chance to sign Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte after taking over at Liverpool, according to reports.
Ugarte was offered to a number of clubs, including United and Liverpool, after falling out of favour at Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG spent more than £50m to sign Ugarte from Ruben Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon in 2023 but agreed to sell him at a loss just a year later.
Ugarte has endured an underwhelming first six months at Old Trafford, starting just nine of Manchester United’s 21 league games due to problems with form and fitness.
Earlier in the season Liverpool legends Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness both criticised Ugarte’s performances for Manchester United.
Souness claimed Ugarte was ‘not good enough’ for the Premier League giants while Carragher highlighted the fact the Uruguayan was mainly a squad player at PSG.
Even Ugarte has himself admitted he is yet to reach his top level for Manchester United, insisting it was always going to ‘take time to adapt’ to the ‘best league in the world’.
Liverpool were keen to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad last summer and were offered the chance to sign Ugarte after missing out on the Spain midfielder, according to The Times.
But Slot decided against signing the Uruguay international and instead kept faith in Ryan Gravenberch, who has emerged as one of the surprise stars of the season.
Gravenberch, who has started all 19 of Liverpool’s Premier League games, even ‘surprised’ new Anfield boss Slot with his level of performances this season, according to Ian Wright.
‘His defensive work in that particular game was something they would have looked at and thought “wow” because he is not a natural No.6, he’s more of a No.8 who wants to get forward into the box and scores goals,’ the ex-Arsenal and England striker said.
‘But they must have been pleasantly surprised or they’ve seen in training how good he is doing that defensive role if he gets himself in that position.
‘We know Liverpool, they go for their man and if they don’t get their man like Zubimendi, they don’t then just go for the next one.
‘They are happy to wait and see and they’ve obviously tried Ryan in there and, at the moment three games in, it looks very solid.’
Gravenberch, meanwhile, has admitted he feels more comfortable playing under Slot than he did his former manager Jurgen Klopp.
‘I just feel good in my skin, to be honest. But does that have a reason? Yeah, things are going well at the club,’ Gravenberch told ESPN Netherlands.
‘I’m just doing my thing, and it’s working out well now. He [Slot] gives me confidence now. He just lets me start in the line-up. It’s going pretty well.
‘As a player, you obviously want to get minutes. For me, that confidence is part of it. With that confidence, I feel more comfortable, and with the minutes, it keeps getting better.
‘He’s a good coach. He knows what he wants. He has a clear plan. Yeah, so far, we’re executing it really well. Clarity from the start is always nice for me.’
While United fans may still have doubts over £50m summer signing Ugarte, former assistant manager and club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy is ‘convinced’ he will come good at the Theatre of Dreams.
‘I’m convinced Manuel will be a great player for United,’ the Dutchman told reporters.
‘I think yesterday he had a very good performance, against Fenerbahce he had a good performance.
‘Getting players in an early conclusion, players that are here for two or three months, you should be careful with that I think.
‘It’s a great signing, very good player, professional, he has very specific qualities in midfield, gets in between players, can recover a lot of balls for us to get us in attacking positions.
‘Also, on the ball, very decent so I think he will be a very good player for this club.’