Rúben Amorim is keen to secure fresh midfield talent this summer as he revolutionises his current Manchester United squad.
Manchester United have added four players to their squad this summer, with Rúben Amorim intent on strengthening the core of his Old Trafford side.
The window began with Matheus Cunha, whose move was announced on the opening day and completed two weeks later. Bryan Mbeumo made clear his desire to join in early June, though drawn-out negotiations with Brentford meant the deal was only completed six weeks later.
In between, United brought in 18-year-old left-back Diego Leon, who has impressed in training and earned a place on the fringes of the senior squad.
The biggest move came with the signing of Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig, taking total summer spending to about £214 million. Further reinforcements are expected, with a midfielder and a goalkeeper still on the club’s list.
United keen on Wharton and Baleba
It has been well documented that United see Brighton’s Carlos Baleba as their first-choice target for the midfield position, and according to The Independent, they are attempting to expedite this process to make sure it happens this summer. Baleba himself is reportedly keen on the move.
It is noted that Brighton want around £120 million this summer, and United are mulling over making a bid of around £80 million and having the rest made up of add-ons. There is also a potential willingness to send Brighton a player like Jadon Sancho the other way, although this is less likely.
However, The Independent’s report also notes that United have an alternative in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who they may try to sign if a deal for Baleba cannot be struck in the coming weeks.
It is said that Amorim’s long-term goal is to secure both players together in their squad. But, there is a recognition that Wharton could cost even more than any potential deal than Baleba, considering Palace’s European football debut across the coming season.
Amorim must prioritise Mainoo at United
While it is all well and good talking about the potential talented players United could bring into their midfield across the next 12 months, it cannot be forgotten that Academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo may be the brightest of them all.
After a stellar debut campaign across the 2023/24 campaign, Mainoo failed to establish himself within Amorim’s team due to a series of injuries and the unexpected good form of Casemiro.
However, Amorim has previously hinted that he sees Mainoo as a potential heir to Bruno Fernandes in the deeper two midfield positions, and the signing of Baleba seems an almost perfect fit to allow the Academy graduate to play his best football.
A pairing of Wharton and Baleba would no doubt be an incredible statement of long-term intent at Old Trafford. Still, with Mainoo already at United, it may be the better move to forgo attempting to sign Wharton and concentrate on securing Baleba either this summer or the next.
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 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.