Carlos Baleba: Manchester United's Midfield Pursuit Resurfaces

Carlos Baleba’s camp has gone back to Manchester United. The message is simple: if you still want him, now is the time to talk.

According to Fabrizio Romano, representatives of the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder have approached United to check whether there is any appetite to revive a deal that collapsed a year ago under the weight of Brighton’s price tag.

From £100m dream to a £70m question

Last summer, Baleba was not just on United’s list. He was at the top of it.

United identified the then-21-year-old as their No 1 midfield target and quickly reached an agreement on personal terms. Baleba, Romano says, “was pushing like crazy” in August 2025 to make the move, convinced it was his chance to become a Manchester United player.

Then reality bit. United went to Brighton and were met with a demand of around £100million. Talks stopped almost as quickly as they had started.

The saga left a mark. The transfer noise seeped into Baleba’s form and his performances dipped in the opening months of last season. The upside for any suitor now is financial: that £100m figure has dropped to about £70m, a sizeable reduction but still a major outlay.

United’s new-look midfield – and the missing piece

United have already spent heavily in that area of the pitch this summer. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have arrived for a combined £85m, reshaping the options in the middle of the park.

Yet the recruitment team still wants another body, and not just any profile. The club is chasing a third midfielder with defensive instincts, someone to give them control and steel in front of the back line in the new campaign.

That is where Baleba has come back into focus.

Romano reports that, after months of silence, the player’s entourage has re-opened the line to Old Trafford, driven by Baleba’s long-standing desire to wear United red. The initiative is coming from his side, not from Carrington.

“Those close to the player have been in contact again with Man Utd to suggest the possibility to return for Baleba,” Romano explained on his YouTube channel. They want clarity: is there any chance to restart negotiations, especially after other avenues have closed?

Ederson off, door ajar for Baleba

United’s midfield search has already taken a few twists. A move for Ederson is off, forcing the club to reassess the market and its priorities. In that reshuffle, Baleba’s name has resurfaced inside the recruitment department, where he was rated highly a year ago.

The interest is not one-way. Romano describes the 22-year-old as “super keen” on United. The dream from last summer has not faded; it has simply been parked while Brighton held firm and United moved on to other targets.

The dynamic has changed slightly since January. When United and Ruben Amorim decided not to continue their talks, the Baleba track cooled. Now, as United hunt that final midfield piece, the question is whether the club hierarchy still sees him as the right fit at the right price.

A crowded shortlist

Baleba is not alone in United’s thoughts.

Manu Kone, now at Roma, is under active consideration, and at this stage United appear to be making the most progress in talks for the Frenchman. Sander Berge at Fulham is also on the list, offering Premier League experience and a different physical profile.

At the top end of the market, United admire Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, a player Michael Carrick would love to bring in. That door is effectively closing, with Tchouameni set to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu, which has pushed United to look more seriously at his team-mate Eduardo Camavinga.

Then there is Alex Scott, one of Bournemouth’s prized assets and another midfielder United rate highly. Bournemouth, though, are determined to keep him for at least another season, and are prepared to resist significant offers.

So United stand at a familiar crossroads: multiple targets, finite funds, and a need to land the right one.

United’s move – or Baleba’s waiting game?

For now, the ball is in Manchester United’s court. Baleba’s side has signalled their intent and asked the question. The player remains eager, the price has dropped, and the need for a defensive midfielder is clear.

What remains unclear is whether United still see Carlos Baleba as the answer, or just a name from a window that got away.