Man Utd are planning to break their transfer record in 2026 to bring Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba to Old Trafford as part of a double coup, according to reports.
The Red Devils were fairly busy in the summer transfer market with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS bringing in five new signings to help Ruben Amorim this season.
Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo should ensure that Man Utd don’t finish the season as one of the lowest scoring sides in the Premier League, like last term.
While left-back Diego Leon, who signed from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno, and goalkeeper Senne Lammens provide the squad with added potential.
Amorim will be hoping Lammens is good enough to replace Altay Bayindir or Andre Onana in net with the latter not starting a Premier League match this campaign.
A midfielder was the missing piece of the summer jigsaw with some fans and former players favouring a move in that position over a new striker.
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But, rather than bringing in a new midfielder, Man Utd decided to splash £74m on Sesko, who scored 39 goals in 87 appearances for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
And now our friends at TEAMtalk claim that Man Utd have ‘locked in’ the signing of Brighton midfielder Baleba with transfer insider Dean Jones insisting it could be part of a ‘double midfield swoop’ in 2026.
Man Utd were put off a move for Baleba this summer over the huge price tag with the Seagulls hoping to get a fee similar to the £115m received from Chelsea for Moises Caicedo in 2023.
TEAMtalk add that Man Utd enquired this summer in order to show Brighton they are serious about signing the Cameroon international and the Red Devils are ‘not deterred by the prospect of having to spend over £100million’.
With the futures of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo seemingly uncertain, Man Utd are likely to add a second midfielder over the next couple of transfer windows.
TEAMtalk names Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Atalanta’s Ederson and Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand as options Man Utd have ‘explored’ with the trio having a combined asking price of around £222m.
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Rio Ferdinand suggested Baleba as a target for Man Utd before their interest was revealed earlier this summer and he reiterated his desire to see a deal done.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel in mid-August: “Baleba, he’s a young kid, he’s a wonderful talent, high ceiling. [But] what I would say is, it’s about managing expectations if someone like him does come in.
“By no means am I saying that you buy him and he’s the absolute answer and he’s the key to everything being unlocked. He’s a young kid who will need to develop. He’ll need to be integrated into the squad, into the system.
“He’ll have to learn and understand the responsibilities of being at Manchester United. Different requirements. Different pressure. All these things come into it when you sign for Manchester United. He’ll make mistakes, but that’s part of it.”