Manchester United are interested in acquiring Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, with Ruben Amorim keen on bringing in the boisterous midfielder.
Carlos Baleba, 21, has established himself as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League, and for that reason, Manchester United want him.
TBR Footballexclusively revealed Baleba’s price tag for United would be over £100m, which is an issue considering the frivolous spending taking place at Old Trafford so far this summer.
Carlos Baleba of Brighton looks o during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal FC
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Which is why – United may need a cheaper Baleba alternative. The thing is, they already have one at Carrington.
Kobbie Mainoo is a Carlos Baleba alternative who won’t cost a penny
Some Manchester United fans seem to be forgetting just how much potential Kobbie Mainoo possesses.
The 20-year-old has only been in and around the first-team squad for just over two years, making his debut in an EFL Cup match in January 2023.
His meteoric rise under Erik ten Hag as an 18-year-old threw him into the limelight. But now, after a season that didn’t quite match the sky-high expectations his breakthrough created, some are already writing him off.
Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Mainoo is a generational talent. He played a key role in England’s Euro 2024 run to the final, has scored sensational, clutch, match-winning goals for United, and is still – literally – just 20 years old. A kid.
Buying Baleba would likely push Mainoo out of the starting XI, which risks him eventually leaving the club. He deserves to be starting for Manchester United.
Mainoo is better than Baleba
A bold opinion, especially considering Baleba’s ludicrous valuation and his undeniable importance to Brighton, but Mainoo is the better footballer.
"Read a few comparisons between me and this kid last week. Don’t waste your time…."
Words from a @ManUtd legend on their latest young star, Kobbie Mainoo ✨ pic.twitter.com/caI3kVf2oN
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 27, 2024
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Mainoo has been linked with Tottenham, but letting him go would be the biggest mistake the club has made in years.
Granted, he might not fit Amorim’s system as seamlessly as the Cameroonian does, but giving Mainoo consistent game time, which he deserves, will allow him to adapt and learn the role.
Whether Manchester United go ahead with Baleba this transfer window remains to be seen, but if they do, Mainoo cannot be the one who gets shafted in the process.