After securing Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, INEOS must decide whether to pivot toward Brighton’s powerhouse Carlos Baleba or wait for Real Madrid star Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Could Man Utd be returing to the days of old?
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Casemiro's departure from Old Trafford at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign has left a big hole in Manchester United's midfield and a major loss in the dressing room.
To address the void left by the Brazilian, United targeted several marquee Premier League midfielders, including Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes, but were ultimately beaten to the punch by other clubs.
As a result, United pivoted to the quick-fire double signing of Youri Tielemans for an impressive £35 million fee owing to a release clause, and Andrey Santos for a £50 million fee, as Michael Carrick added key depth to the middle of the park.
Having signed two box-to-box midfielders, United will most likely still be on the hunt for a defensive midfielder to attempt to replace the output of Casemiro at Old Trafford.
Last summer, many wondered why the midfield wasn't reinforced, as the need for depth was apparent back then, but ultimately failed to sign anyone. That wasn't for a lack of trying, though, with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba being strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford, but a £100 million valuation by Brighton put an end to a potential deal.
In the 2025/26 season, the 22-year-old struggled to replicate his form from the previous season, as his value dropped following a relatively poor campaign. Despite this, the defensive midfielder was excellent for Cameroon at AFCON and showed he can still develop into a quality defensive option.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano reiterated that Carlos Baleba wants to join Manchester United this summer, with his value now reported to be around £70 million.
"And for example, Baleba is also a player who would be super keen on joining Manchester United.
“Already one year ago, Baleba wanted to go to Man Utd, but on this one, it’s on Man Utd to decide if they want to return in talks with Brighton or not.
After seeing the likes of Tonali, Anderson and Fernandes pass Manchester United by, many fans would have been feeling slightly worried about United's slow start to the window, knowing they needed to sign at least three midfielders.
However, the recruitment team at Old Trafford have done some fantastic business this summer, spending a combined £85 million on Tielemans and Santos to add plenty of Premier League experience to the middle of the park for a brilliant fee, considering some of the prices that have been seen so far this summer.
After the two signings, INEOS are proving to be quite relaxed about their third midfield addition, taking their time to see if any opportunities arise in the window to sign a marquee midfielder.
Real Madrid's targeting of Rodri has presented United with a renewed opportunity to sign Aurélien Tchouaméni, and the Reds will most likely be the main side in for the Frenchman, with other Premier League giants already signing marquee midfielders.