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(Credit: Imago, Manchester United on X)
Oliver Walton
Fri 1 August 2025 6:45, UK
Manuel Ugarte has mocked new teammate Diego Leon online after he produced a moment of madness in Man United’s pre-season friendly against Bournemouth.
Man United’s pre-season plans have seen them jet off to the USA, where they are competing in the Premier League Summer Series against Everton, West Ham and the Cherries.
Ruben Amorim’s new look squad in the States includes big-money signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, as well as young full-back Leon, who officially joined the Red Devils from Cerro Porteno in early July after they initially signed him for £3.3million [Manchester Evening News] in January.
Leon has had to wait to make his United bow until this summer, and he was handed his debut against Leeds on 19 July before appearing against Bournemouth on Thursday (31 July) as a second-half substitute for Patrick Dorgu.
The 18-year-old impressed down the left-flank against Premier League opposition, and even grabbed his first assist in only his third game for the club, but the contribution came about in awkward circumstances which Ugarte saw fit to mock following the clash.
Amorim has given Leon the chance to prove himself in pre-season (Credit: Imago)
United ran out comfortable 4-1 victors against Bournemouth at the Soldier Field in Chicago, and Leon both impressed and somewhat embarassed himself in equal measure as he assisted fellow youngster Ethan Williams for 4-0 in the 72nd minute.
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The speedy Paraguayan was racing forward with the ball down the left flank when he seemed to trip over himself and lose possession under little pressure from any defenders, before Williams seized upon the loose ball and slotted home nicely.
It certainly counts as an assist for Leon despite being stopped in his tracks, but he did not get away with the dramatic fall regardless as Ugarte took to his Instagram story to mock him following the game, sharing an edited clip of a sniper shooting just as Leon fell, alongside a more heartfelt caption that read: “First assist” with two clapping emojis.
Football Insider verdict
Simply going off his assist for Williams, it is clear why United have signed an unknown player like Leon and fast-tracked him into first-team reckoning, as he is quick, strong and wants to attack open space, which are all ideal in Amorim’s wing-back system.
United have not had a reliable left-wing-back or left-back for a long time, with Luke Shaw’s injury woes and Dorgu’s inconsistent form meaning they could have headed into this window with the idea of signing a new player in that position as well as Leon.
Shaw made just 12 appearances last season after missing the first three months of the campaign with a calf injury, and The Sun (24 July) have reported that he now faces an Old Trafford exit, and could be gone by January.
AppearancesGoalsAssistsShaw’s Man United career stats
Football Insider revealed in March that Fulham will only consider offers over £40million for Antonee Robinson this summer, amid interest from the Red Devils, but an approach certainly seems less likely if Leon can continue to impress.
United fans will obviously have to temper their expectations of the 18-year-old, given his age and lack of experience in English football, but if Dorgu impresses, then Leon certainly looks good enough to be a second-choice player in his preferred position for the season ahead.
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