Manchester United begin talks to sign 23-year-old midfielder as deal for Manuel Ugarte continues to drag on: Reports

Manchester United have reportedly begun talks to sign 23-year-old Fluminense midfielder Andre this summer as their efforts to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Manuel Ugarte continue to drag on. A report from Trivela claims that the Red Devils have identified the Brazilian as an alternative to the PSG man.

It goes without saying that Manchester United are keen to add a quality midfielder to their ranks this summer as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his options at the center of the pitch this season.

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for Manuel Ugarte over the last couple of weeks but a breakthrough appears to be distant. As per GOAL, they have reached a personal agreement with the player and have proposed a loan-to-buy deal to PSG that would see them pay €60 million at the end of the loan spell.

However, that offer has failed to convince PSG to let go of the Uruguayan international. The Parisians reportedly prefer to receive a chunk upfront to sanction the transfer.

As the deal continues to drag on, Trivela reports that Manchester United have identified Brazilian star Andre, who currently represents Fluminense as an alternative to the midfielder.

It is understood that the 23-year-old could be available for just a third of the price for Ugarte. The report added that Andre's agent Carlos Leite is already pulling strings to ensure a successful export of his client to Europe this summer. Manchester United still have a week left to act before the transfer window shuts.

Both Ugarte and Andre are well settled and playing regularly at the present clubs. The midfielder played 38 games for PSG last season contributing two assists while the latter has played 17 matches for Fluminense across all fronts in the current campaign with one assist to his name.

Manchester United suffer setback in Premier League action this weekend

The Premier League has returned for the second round of fixtures this weekend and Manchester United were in action today (August 24) against Brighton & Hove Albion at the American Express Stadium.

The game ended on a disappointing note for Erik ten Hag and his men as they fell to a shocking 2-1 defeat. A sluggish start allowed former Red Devils star Danny Welbeck to open the scoring for Brighton in the first half.

The visitors managed to restore parity via an Amad Diallo strike after the restart. Ultimately, injury time effort from Joao Pedro ensured the home side stole all three points and condemned Erik ten Hag's side to their first league defeat of the season.