Manchester United are still hunting for a new midfield star to complete their rebuild this summer, but one star has now been ruled out of the running.
The Reds have secured the arrivals of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, for a combined £85m, while Karl Darlow and young winger Tynan Thompson have also arrived to further bolster the squad.
But the midfield remains a priority for new manager Michael Carrick this summer, and the club have got a strict budget that they are working on, and that means some targets have become unattainable.
Man Utd Won't Sign Carlos Baleba
brighton carlos baleba
Baleba, who has been described as 'world-class', is a long-term target at Old Trafford, with the club keen to sign him last summer and even going as far as agreeing personal terms over a deal.
But the Seagulls' valuation for the Cameroon international has so far been a hurdle towards a deal being completed, and speaking to TEAMtalk, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that that continues to be the case, with a deal highly unlikely to be completed this summer.
“What I am hearing is they want someone who can really help them defensively,” he said.
“In an ideal world they’d just sign Carlos Baleba. They absolutely love his game. Yes, he didn’t have his best season, but they still believe he’d be an outstanding fit for Manchester United.”
“United believe Baleba is worth somewhere around the £50m mark, especially after what they considered an inconsistent campaign. Brighton couldn’t disagree more.
“Even before Elliot Anderson became the most expensive British player ever (now surpassed by Morgan Rogers), Brighton were talking about figures well north of £75m and closer to £100m. That immediately puts him outside United’s thinking.”
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Man Utd Missing Big Opportunity
Carlos Baleba during a Brighton & Hove Albion pre-match warm-upvia Reuters
While Baleba had a difficult campaign last season after having his head turned by the attention at Old Trafford, the talent that he has as a defensive midfielder is undeniable.
Man Utd are looking for a Premier League-proven defensive midfielder who excels at winning the ball back and covering ground, and there is arguably nobody better than Baleba when it comes to that criteria. Brighton were never going to let him go easily, and while United don't want to be ripped off, sometimes you have to pay big to get the right pieces for the puzzle.
At this stage it's unclear who Man Utd will sign, if anyone, as their third midfielder, but if it isn't Baleba then it will be a secondary option, and that should tell you that they should just cough the money up to get their top choice in.
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