Man Utd’s pursuit of Brighton’s Carlos Baleba as a ‘third midfielder’
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Man Utd’s decision to make Baleba their ‘third midfielder’
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Carlos Baleba has made 112 appearances for Brighton since joining the club from Lille for £23.2m in August 2023
By Simon Stone, Manchester United reporter
Published 7 minutes ago
Manchester United’s midfield reconstruction is nearing completion. After signing Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa in quick succession last month, the ‘third midfielder’ search has been a topic of much speculation.
At times, the interest in players like Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Manu Kone (Roma), Sander Berge (Fulham), and Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) seemed to take on a life of its own. However, United privately played down potential interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.
The club’s data and recruitment department have succeeded in reshaping Michael Carrick’s midfield. With Casemiro’s departure in January and Ruben Amorim’s exit, United needed to strengthen. Manuel Ugarte’s high price tag didn’t fit their plans, leaving Kobbie Mainoo as the only experienced midfielder for next season.
Mainoo excels in tight spaces and progressing the ball, while Santos has been excellent in defence. Tielemans brings composure and a desire to increase his goals. The defeat to AC Milan in Wroclaw highlighted a lack of energy, a player in the old box-to-box mould—an area where Baleba excels with his quick coverage of the ground.
If the deal goes through, Carrick will have variety, including Mason Mount, Scotland’s World Cup squad member Tyler Fletcher, and even Bruno Fernandes in a pinch. The Baleba situation also marks a strategic change, shifting away from their previous pursuit of Frenkie de Jong.
