Carlos Baleba has been hit with a huge blow regarding his dream of signing for Manchester United as the club draw up their midfield transfer plans.
It is football’s worst-kept secret that Manchester United will look to spend as heavily as they can on new midfielders as soon as the 2026 summer transfer window opens.
It has already been confirmed that Casemiro will depart from the club once his contract expires at the end of June, while Manuel Ugarte is expected to depart after failing to settle and perform well since his move to Old Trafford in 2023.
The club have been endlessly linked to several midfielders, one of whom is Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, for whom the club sounded out for a move toward the end of the 2025 summer window.
Although the Cameroon international was keen, Brighton made it known they wanted around £100 million for the player, while United were hoping the valuation would sit more toward £60-65 million. Instead, United chose to focus on signing Benjamin Šeško, with a revisit to the midfield at the end of this season.
Baleba hit with United transfer blow
As far as Baleba was concerned, as soon as United became interested, his representatives reportedly made it abundantly clear that while he would not put pressure on leaving Brighton, he had an overwhelming preference to join United if and when the chance came.
Although many initially saw the move as one that would become inevitable, the 22-year-old has been hit with a possible blow.
In a report from The Telegraph, it was stated that United have emerged as possible suitors for Newcastle and Italy international Sandro Tonali, with the 25-year-old of great interest. United’s current midfield list reportedly includes Tonali, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, and Liverpool’s Adam Wharton.
This left no room for Baleba amid his mixed bag of form so far this campaign, which could spell danger that the young Premier League star’s dream transfer could be slipping from his grasp.
How much could Tonali cost this summer?
Since Tonali’s £55 million move from AC Milan to the Magpies in 2022, he has established himself as one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League, and certainly one worthy of upgrading to one of the biggest clubs in the country.
However, with midfileders currenlty the most prized assets of most clubs across Europe, Tonali could cost United a shed-load of cash should they choose to try and sign him this coming summer.
According to The Telegraph, Newcastle would be looking at the fees paid for the likes of Declan Rice (£105 million), Moises Caicedo (£115 million), and others over the last few seasons, and would expect a transfer fee of up to £100 million to part ways with their fantastic midfield general.
United also do not have the most positive relationship with Newcastle following the Dan Ashworth saga. The sporting director, whom United poached from them in July 2024 after a long gardening-leave standoff, was only fired five months later.
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