Carlos Baleba’s fall down the list of Man Utd’s transfer targets has been swift, but it has nothing to do with his form because an even more important factor has emerged.
It was less than a year ago that Man Utd fans were losing their minds in delight upon seeing the club get in touch with Brighton for Carlos Baleba.
The move didn’t happen, but Baleba’s eagerness to play for the club, his fit in the XI, and his brilliant form made him the ideal target.
His form tanked as a result, but even that could be excused as him trying to earn a move to Old Trafford. What can’t be excused has nothing to do with his form.
Carlos Baleba playing against Tottenham
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
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Carlos Baleba plays for Brighton
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Baleba had a good skill set and, with his age, the potential to do even more, but what attracted Man Utd the most towards him was his athleticism.
In Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, the midfielders are effectively shuttlers from one box to another, and sometimes covering out wide as well.
It’s why Kobbie Mainoo could never catch Amorim’s eye, and why Baleba’s physical excellence made him the perfect choice.
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What he wasn’t quite as good at was his ability on the ball, but then again, Amorim stressed launching the ball quickly and long, so press-resistance, ball-carrying, and progressive-passing weren’t necessarily non-negotiables for new signings.
All of those demands have changed since Amorim’s sacking, and Baleba, who looked like the ideal target under Amorim, suddenly looks like the antithesis of everything United need in a midfielder.
Sure, his athleticism helps, but if United want to replace Casemiro with an undisputed starter, then an overqualified, left-footed Ugarte is not the answer.
That might seem harsh on Baleba, but the players who have since usurped him on the transfer targets list all share the common skill of being extremely technical players.
That’s not a coincidence.
Michael Carrick and modern game prefers technical players on the ball
It’s still not confirmed whether Carrick will be in charge of Man Utd next season, but the reality of the modern game is that simply having physical monsters limits the ceiling of the team.
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Athletes raise the floor of the team, but artists raise the ceiling, especially if athleticism is not a glaring issue with them.
Carrick’s style of play especially requires technically proficient midfielders, as evidenced by Kobbie Mainoo finding second wind this season after his arrival as manager.
The interest in Elliot Anderson makes perfect sense in that regard, as he combined craft with combat, while the likes of Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton are all skilled on the ball, with athleticism as a bonus, instead of the other way around.
Carrick is repeatedly stressing the ability to play with the ball, something which Leny Yoro revealed recently, and it’s a trait shared by most elite managers these days.
Baleba’s form has been the best this season, but his transfer chase will end this summer regardless, because United will go for a different profile of player in midfield.
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