Manchester United are hatching a new transfer plan after their initial interest in midfielder Carlos Baleba was rebuffed by Brighton.
Manchester United are heading into the final stretch of the summer transfer window with plenty of work still to do.
Rúben Amorim has added four new players in Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško, though the club continue to be linked with midfield options after missing out on Carlos Baleba.
Several departures are also expected, with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony among those likely to leave, while Rasmus Højlund has been tipped for a move back to Italy.
With the window closing at 19:00 BST on 1 September, Amorim will want all major business wrapped up so he can fully turn his focus to the new Premier League and domestic campaign.
United are hatching 2026 Baleba plan
With midfield a significant priority, United identified Brighton’s Baleba as their perfect player, although the South Coast side quickly rebuffed their interest. However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that United are already planning to sign the player in 2026.
“At the moment, I can guarantee that nothing has changed with Brighton,” Romano explained on his YouTube channel. “Brighton maintain a very high wall around Baleba; they want to keep the player for this summer.
“Manchester United for 2026, so not this transfer window, but for the future, will maintain the name of Carlos Baleba very high on their shortlist. Amorim is in love, because the management is in love, because the recruitment team is in love, so they believe that Baleba is the perfect player.
“And when you have that kind of strong feeling, very good connection with the player, very good connection with his agents, because when Man United had talks with his agents in the recent weeks, it was very positive.
“Over contract, personal terms, intention to join, even without European football, I don’t think it’s over for the future between United and Baleba. They will really try again for the player in the future.
“He remains one of the big names on the shortlist for the long term, because really Man United are in love with this player, and so I think there will be a lot of movement for Baleba in the future for 2026. But for this summer, Brighton absolutely want to keep him.”
United still need a midfielder this summer
While Baleba is seen as the bona fide perfect midfielder for Amorim, there is no doubt that the club still need to sign a midfielder in the final few weeks of the summer transfer window if they want to progress up the league table.
According to transfer journalist Ben Jacobs, one name on their list is Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, who was once recommended to Real Madrid by Toni Kroos as his successor.
Although there is no guarantee a move will materialise, as signing a midfielder before the deadline is not a complete certainty, internal discussions are said to be taking place over multiple targets in the position.
With the transfer deadline looming after the end of August, United do not have long to fill that midfield hole.
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