Brighton have told Manchester United how they can sign Carlos Baleba, amid speculation over his future at the Seagulls.
Manchester United have struggled with their midfield balance since Michael Carrick left the club, it was briefly solved with Nemanja Matic under Jose Mourinho, but it truly hasn’t been solved since Carrick’s playing days.
In Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, the job of the double pivot becomes even harder as they have just three defenders behind them, rather than the four under most other United managers.
Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte have both struggled to solidify the midfield since Amorim joined United, but the links to Carlos Baleba could solve the issue, as many feel his high-energy approach could solve United’s problems.
Baleba has been compared to N’Golo Kanté and Moises Caicedo due to his all-action style, making him the perfect partner for Bruno Fernandes or Kobbie Mainoo, but a deal will not be easy to pull off due to his importance to Brighton’s team.
Brighton reveal how United can sign Baleba
As per GiveMeSport, Brighton do not want to sell Baleba this summer, but United aren’t ruling out submitting an offer anyway to make their intentions well known.
However, while a deal is considered unlikely this summer, United won’t give up in their pursuit of the midfielder, “with an exit far more likely to be sanctioned next summer instead.”
A move for Baleba this summer would depend on the Red Devils selling the remaining players in the list of club exiles, with Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho still looking for a move away from the club.
Unlike the others, Marcus Rashford has secured a move away from Old Trafford for the 2025/26 season, but he has only left on loan, so United need to raise funds by selling the other players.
Baleba will likely cost the Red Devils upwards of £100 million, and with United still linked with goalkeepers and central defenders, that may be too much this summer, after spending over £200 million on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško.
United need to focus on sales for the rest of the window
With just the Premier League, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup to play for this season, the priority for the remainder of the window must be selling players who won’t receive the playing time they need this year.
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Some of United’s key players could decrease in value over the season if they aren’t involved every week, especially if Amorim’s side are knocked out of a cup competition in the opening rounds.
Put simply, if they aren’t going to play, they need to be sold so United can continue to progress under Amorim, while having funds to spend in future windows without worrying about Profit and Sustainability Regulations.
Young players at the club, including Toby Collyer and Chido Obi, could struggle for game time next season, with a loan away being the best option for regular competitive football.
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