Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Manuel Ugarte and have opened talks with Sporting Lisbon over a deal for the midfielder.
Ugarte has been linked with a host of Europe’s top teams with Chelsea and Liverpool understood to have tracked his progress in the Portuguese capital, but Villa are understood to have made a move as incoming sporting director Mateu Alemany looks to improve the squad.
Alemany is set to join Villa after announcing he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season and transfer plans are already underway at Villa Park.
Footballtransfers are reporting that Villa are ‘locked in’ talks with Sporting over a potential deal for Ugarte, who leads the Champions League for tackles this season despite the Portuguese side’s group stage exit.
He also leads Portugal’s Primeira Liga for tackles won (106) during the current campaign and has excelled since Joao Palhinha’s departure for Fulham last summer.
Liverpool are also said to have held talks over a potential deal for the Uruguay international, who is understood to have a release clause of around £52m in his contract at Sporting.
Chelsea remain interested in Ugarte, but the delay in appointing a new head coach has held up a potential move, while the west Londoners require sales this summer before significant additions can be made.
