Elliot Anderson is the dream target for Man Utd in the summer, and Sandro Tonali is quickly rising up the ranks, but a major player has been written off too easily in this discussion.
Man Utd might find themselves in a position in the summer where one midfielder won’t be enough, and they might not have the means to sign two marquee players.
In such a situation, Elliot Anderson is the priority target, Adam Wharton has been mentioned, while Bruno Guimaraes is Casemiro’s choice.
Amidst all these names, the “saviour” of last summer has gone under the radar and been written off too easily. That shouldn’t be the case.
Carlos Baleba duels with Bryan Mbeumo at Old Trafford.
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
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Carlos Baleba has been discarded completely
It was less than a year ago when Man Utd fans were in absolute disbelief over the fact that the club touched base with Brighton for Carlos Baleba.
Baleba was the dream signing to complete the midfield, and even though Brighton gave a hands-off valuation, fans were willing to wait.
Baleba, on his side, dreamt of United, so spending one more season at Brighton was an ideal move in case the transfer to Old Trafford didn’t happen.
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What nobody envisioned was Baleba’s season at Brighton being so bad that fans would write off his candidature for a United transfer entirely.
The young midfielder has struggled with form and fitness, also having his mentality questioned, as his form collapsed at the same time as United turned his head.
To make matters worse for him, his bad form coincided with Anderson emerging as the best midfield player in the league, and Tonali and Wharton keeping their stock steady.
Furthermore, Baleba was a better fit for Ruben Amorim’s system than he was for a 4-2-3-1, so that put him further down the pecking order.
However, he’s been written off too easily, and, if anything, this season could be the one that makes his career at United take off.
Man Utd must keep close tabs on Baleba
For once, Brighton might be rueing their fate of not selling Baleba because with another year down on his contract, and his form falling off a cliff, they’re holding onto a stressed asset.
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Carlos Baleba plays for Brighton
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That’s why United must keep close tabs on his summer situation, because he clearly wants to join United, and if Brighton are willing to talk at a more palatable price, United could get a huge bargain.
United have been at the wrong end of such deals earlier, selling Scott McTominay for just £25m after misprofiling him, only to see the player’s stock soar.
Brighton haven’t used Baleba incorrectly, but he’s clearly a better player than he has shown so far this season.
Depending upon Brighton’s price, it could be an extremely smart move to buy low on a player who has a remarkable ceiling if things fall into place.
In five years’ time, United might be thanking Baleba for his 2025/26 season, which allowed them to land a world-class bargain.
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