Why Baleba fits the bill for Manchester United

Brighton’s Carlos Baleba is close to agreeing a move to Manchester United, who have long-term interest.

Let’s clarify what Manchester United are looking for in their third midfield signing: a strong, intelligent, defensive force, capable of nullifying attacks before they reach the 18 yard box. The signing must be comfortable on the ball, competent at progressive play and able to cover plenty of ground. Manuel Ugarte was signed as this defensive monster, however his lack of skill progressively and consistent loss of possession was clearly a huge oversight. Casemiro was a strong tackler (sometimes too strong) and a highly skilled operator, but moving across the pitch and keeping up with the Premier League tempo was an obvious struggle. This new addition must not be made with these issues ignored.

That is why The Red Devils have looked at many big names to fill this gap, names that they know can handle it. Despite weeks and months of rumours, nothing materialised. Aurélien Tchouaméni has signed a new deal with Los Blancos, previous targets Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson have all been snatched up and price tags for the likes of Alex Scott simply aren’t being paid. Fresh faces Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans bring Premier League experience, expert ball progression and arguably most importantly, a bit of freedom for Bruno Fernandes. The captain had a stellar season, yet his effectivity in the final third can now increase even further with the capabilities of these two new signings, being the ones to advanced the play rather than Fernandes himself dropping deeper. Still, many fans believe this is not enough, and further defensive ability is required in the middle of the park.

Enter, Carlos Baleba…

The Cameroonian midfielder has been a Premier League player for 3 seasons now, proving his worth majorly in that 2nd season with the Seagulls. In the summer of 2025, United came in with plenty of interest, however Brighton’s price tag of around £100m was an eye-opener. This fee was perhaps influenced by the sale of Moises Caicedo 2 years prior, who by all accounts has stepped up to the level of a club like Chelsea. Brighton are clearly a safe bet when it comes to transfers, finding great young talent from across the globe, quietly developing them with Premier League experience, to sell them handsomely to richer suitors. Baleba is no exception, and Manchester United’s patience may have paid off perfectly.

In truth, Baleba ticks every box:

• Premier League experience

• Off-the-ball monster

• An athlete, capable of covering plenty of ground

• Strong in the tackle, but more importantly, wise in the tackle

• Perfectly capable of skillful ball-progression. Whether that’s turning first-phase possession into attacks, or winning the ball and doing something with it.

• An underrated dribbler, who reads the game well and can get himself out of trouble

Whilst his 25/26 campaign was disappointing, going from 31 league starts down to 23, it’s nothing to be concerned with. Baleba is still 22 years old, a phenomenal feat considering his reputation. One slightly below par season is normal, especially given the attention around him. If anything, this is a positive for Manchester United, having dropped his valuation down drastically from around £100m to £75m. Carrick’s club are attempting to acquire the midfielder’s talents for around £65m as of today, as multiple reporters are convinced that an agreement will be made in the coming days.

This signing completes Manchester United’s rebuild, putting them in a great position to go for glory in the coming season.