Manuel Ugarte’s former manager, Ruben Amorim, has ‘guaranteed’ that the midfielder would still be working under him at Sporting Lisbon if they were in a stronger league.

Ugarte spent two seasons at the club before joining Paris Saint-Germain in a big-money deal.

And the 23-year-old is now bedding in at Old Trafford after only one campaign at the Parc des Princes.

“There are many players who want to make the leap,” Amorim told CNN Portugal. “It doesn’t mean they don’t like Sporting or don’t love being here. If we were in another league, I can guarantee you that Ugarte would be here.”