Latest Manchester United transfer news and gossip as Brighton star Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton are linked with moves to Old Trafford
Mark has been a football journalist since 2017 and has contributed to several publications including the Liverpool Echo, Manchester Evening News and football.london. He also spent eight months on the US Sports team for the Mirror US
Manchester United have been linked with Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba
Manchester United have been linked with Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba
(Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Manchester United's summer transfer window has been eventful, to say the least, and there is still plenty of time for more to come.
Three new signings have been added to Ruben Amorim's squad ahead of the new Premier League season. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko's arrivals will likely see a new forward line for United this term, but it may not be the only area of the squad that sees major change.
United are also thought to be looking at signing a new midfielder ahead of the September 1 deadline. Brighton star Carlos Baleba has been heavily linked with a move to United, but a deal could prove tricky to get over the line.
The Seagulls are reported to value Baleba at more than £100million, with The Independent suggesting an actual price tag may be closer to £120million. What is interesting in the report is that it claims United are also looking at Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton as a midfield target, with ambitions of having the England Under-21 international start alongside Baleba in United's midfield in the future.
While achieving that goal may be unlikely this summer, it would certainly be a dream to have Baleba and Wharton as United's midfield options going forward. If that was to happen, it would present United with a dream scenario going forward.
As it stands, United's first-choice midfield would likely feature Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. Given Ruben Amorim's 3-5-2 system deploys a two-man central midfield, it could mean Kobbie Mainoo's long-term future is in one of the roles behind the centre-forward, potentially as a rotation option alongside new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
United also have Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount and Toby Collyer who can all perform in the middle of the park. Signing Baleba could see one member of United's midfield depart, although it's fair to say reinforcements are needed following Christian Eriksen's departure this summer.
Wharton's arrival next summer could be viewed as a long-term replacement for Casemiro, and it seems United have big plans to revamp their midfield in the years to come.
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