Manchester United have been given serious encouragement a deal is there to be done for Carlos Baleba despite Brighton having reportedly rejected a cash-plus-player bid and with the midfielder told by a former Red Devils star why the move would be a “masterstroke of a deal”.
The Red Devils have spent just over £200m (€230m, $270m) on strengthening their attack so far this summer with big-money deals for Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all signed off to bring in an exciting new look to Ruben Amorim’s frontline. And while player sales will need to be negotiated next to help facilitate further additions, Manchester United are far from finished in adding to their squad this summer.
To that end, it is well documented that the Portuguese coach still wants two more major signings this summer with a new goalkeeper and a central midfielder on his radar.
As far as a new goalkeeper is concerned, United have received a seriously positive update that a move for Gianluigi Donnarumma is within their sights, and with Jason Wilcox planning a meeting with his agent later this week.
Amorim is also determined to add more legs and energy to his midfield and after interest in Baleba was reported last week, The Standard now reports that the Red Devils have seen an opening offer for the 21-year-old Cameroon international fall short, with the Seagulls rejecting a cash-plus-player offer that included Toby Collyer moving in the opposite direction.
However, despite rejecting that opening bid, the paper claims the Seagulls are ‘preparing for Baleba’s departure’ by drawing up their succession plan for life after the seven-times capped Cameroon midfielder.
And in what is described as a ‘tried and tested formula’ that saw Baleba succeed Moises Caicedo, prior to the Ecuadorian stepping in for Yves Bissouma, they state either Diego Gomez and Malick Yalcouye have both been slotted in as would-be heirs in Fabian Hurzeler’s starting line-up.
Man Utd told that signing Carlos Baleba is a ‘masterstroke’
Gomez is an £11m signing from Inter Miami in January. The 22-year-old Paraguayan impressed during the second half of last season, earning rave reviews in his 19 appearances over the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Meanwhile, Yalcouye, 19, spent last season on loan at Sturm Graz, where he caught the eye. Hurzeler, though, has yet to decide whether the teenager would benefit from another spell away for the upcoming season.
And while Brighton will maintain their £100m valuation of Baleba if they are to agree his sale, the fact that the Brighton boss can use Jack Hinshelwood, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer and Yasin Ayari in central midfield offers United hope that a deal is there to be done.
Our reporter Dean Jones has already revealed last week that Baleba wants to join United, with the club having already reached out to the player’s representatives over a prospective deal.
Meanwhile, former United midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba believes the strong Cameroonian connection at Old Trafford, including new signing Mbeumo and goalkeeper Andre Onana, will help sway the player to Old Trafford, calling the prospective signing a “masterstroke”.
“Baleba is currently among the top defensive and box-to-box midfielders in the Premier League, and joining Manchester United wouldn’t surprise me at all,” he told Africa Foot.
“It would be a masterstroke of a deal for both the player and Manchester United. He’s a massive passer and a shield to the backline, but also great going upfront, which is what Ruben Amorim desires. Baleba would also improve his game by working on a project under a whole new rebuild.
“For me, that would only spell good news for Cameroon, to be honest. The only negative about this deal is that Brighton would be losing a massive asset. He’s such a beast, yet he also has the ability to pass at range and shoot.”
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