Manchester United are still pursuing a deal for Carlos Baleba after missing out on him during the summer transfer window.
Manchester United are desperate for a new central midfielder in the January transfer window, even more so with Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo out injured.
Despite the stance on Manuel Ugarte, there is still a feeling he could leave in the summer transfer window, along with Casemiro, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Carlos Baleba was heavily linked with an Old Trafford switch towards the end of the summer, but Jason Wilcox chose to focus on signing Benjamin Šeško and Senne Lammens instead.
While he would likely be expensive, United could go back in for Baleba in January, especially if one of the current midfielders leaves the club.
Mainoo could leave the club on loan, and Toby Collyer looks set for another loan after being recalled, so a new midfielder is a must. Could it be Baleba?
Brighton’s stance on Baleba deal
As per multiple reports, United are still exploring the conditions of a deal for Baleba, likely looking at if a January deal is a real possibility or closer to a fairytale.
Now, Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport has confirmed Brighton’s stance: “Man United definitely have a concrete interest in Carlos Baleba.
“They did do in the summer, they enquired in the summer. I think they’ve explored the conditions of that deal again for January, but Brighton just don’t want a deal.
“He’s [Baleba] with AFCON at the moment, I think his head is full on concentrated with that tournament with Cameroon, and when he returns from that tournament, my understanding is, Brighton are expecting him to play and be focused on their second half of the season.”
United must look for cheaper options
While Baleba could be an option for United in the summer, a January transfer is seriously unlikely, especially given Casemiro is still at the club.
Signing a cheaper option now and a more expensive player when Casemiro does leave, could be the best option for United, unless Amorim wants to give an opportunity to an academy player.
Read More: Revealed: What Manchester United must do to sign Brazilian star after “monitoring” claim
Sékou Koné has been linked with a loan move to Lausanne-Sport in January, but he could be given a chance in Amorim’s senior side.
Jack Fletcher has also shown he could play in the Premier League, although a loan move may be the best option for the son of Darren and brother of Tyler.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.