Fabrizio Romano reveals that Carlos Baleba would jump at the opportunity to sign for Manchester United this summer.
The 22-year-old Cameroonian was the first name on Jason Wilcox’s midfield shortlist last summer, but Brighton refused to entertain any offers below £100 million.
Over the past few days, reports in the English media claimed that Baleba is once again on United’s watchlist.
Carlos Baleba eager to move to Man United
This summer, Kobbie Mainoo has been joined by Andrey Santos, who moved from Chelsea, and Youri Tielemans, who arrived from Aston Villa.
Nevertheless, INEOS still need one more midfielder to complete the department, with a host of names circulating in the media.
While reports in Italy claim Man Utd have an agreement in principle with Roma’s Manu Kone, some English sources insist that Aurelien Tchouameni remains the main target, with Real Madrid open to selling the 26-year-old.
The other main names on the shortlist are Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Tyler Adams, Fulham’s Sander Berge, and Botafogo’s Danilo.
As for Baleba, Fabrizio Romano explains the situation in the latest video posted on his official YouTube channel, revealing how the player’s entourage instigated the contacts.
The Italian journalist notes that the Cameroonian was ‘pushing for crazy’ to join MUFC last summer, and he remains ‘super keen’ on the move.
But at this stage, it is unclear whether INEOS will consider launching a new onslaught at some point in the summer.
Why Baleba to Man Utd remains unlikely this summer
Based on the current evidence, Baleba is no longer a priority for Man Utd. The 22-year-old was hailed for his ‘absolutely wonderful’ performances in the 2024/25 campaign, but he’s now coming from a largely underwhelming season. He even lost his automatic starting berth at Brighton.
If United are seeking another holding midfielder, Tchouameni is considered the ‘perfect’ profile thanks to his ideal playing age (26) and vast experience at the biggest stage with Real Madrid and the French national team.
Moreover, Tchouameni could even be more affordable than Baleba, as Brighton might insist on their hefty asking price from last season, especially after witnessing Elliot Anderson move to Man City for a whopping £116 million, and Spurs buying Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes for a combined £185 million.
Nevertheless, Man Utd are unlikely to splash £100 million on the Cameroonian, especially on the back of a modest campaign.
Michel is a football journalist based in Beirut who has been passionately following Man United for over 20 years. He is a Law graduate and a member of the Beirut Bar Association. In addition to writing for Utd Report, he is also the Head Writer for The Laziali has been a Featured Writer on other websites including Juve FC, and The Cult of Calcio, and Stretty News.
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