Rio Ferdinand names £51m Man Utd flop as Michael Carrick’s biggest challenge

 Rio Ferdinand has questioned whether new Manchester United boss Michael Carrick can revive the form of Manuel Ugarte, admitting the £51 million midfielder has failed to live up to expectations since arriving at Old Trafford.

Ferdinand’s comments came during a recent appearance on his YouTube channel, where he discussed Carrick’s immediate priorities after replacing Ruben Amorim.

The former United defender singled out Ugarte’s lack of impact in midfield as one of the most pressing problems the new manager must address.

With United struggling for consistency and identity, Ferdinand’s blunt assessment of Ugarte’s contribution so far echoed the frustrations of many fans who had expected the Uruguayan to bring bite and control to the centre of the pitch.

Rio Ferdinand criticises Manuel Ugarte’s underwhelming impact

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: “I’ve got to be honest, I have been disappointed with Ugarte. He is one player when he came in everybody said he’s got legs, he can tackle, he can move. The description I was getting was he was the right type of player we needed.”

“It just hasn’t materialised, it hasn’t come to the fore. I haven’t seen the player that everybody was talking about before in terms of being able to get up against people quickly and tackle. That’s meant to be a big part of his game, being aggressive,” he added.

“He hasn’t put a marker down in a game that’s made me think, ‘this guy could be one of our midfield dogs who is really going to get things going in the midfield.’ He hasn’t got anywhere near that,” Ferdinand stated.

Ferdinand’s criticism carried weight not just as a pundit but as a former teammate of Carrick, someone who understands the expectations surrounding the club’s midfield standards.

Rio’s comments suggest Ugarte has yet to prove he belongs in the long-term plans of a side still searching for balance and rhythm.

Michael Carrick urged to unlock more from his players

Ferdinand continued, “Can Michael Carrick get any more out of him? That is going to be a big challenge for Michael Carrick: Can he get any more out of these players as individuals to make the team better?

“He’s got to get both of those bits better, the team better, and the individual players playing to a high level and get so much more out of them.”

“How he goes about that will be the acid test because far too often we see players playing below par or they’re just giving us little moments here or there,” Ferdinand concluded.

The message was clear: Carrick’s ability to lift both performances and mentality will define his early tenure.

With United entering yet another phase of transition, finding consistency in midfield remains one of the key tests for his management credentials.