Carlos Baleba has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United, but the Red Devils already have a midfield sensation recognized by a large number of Ballon d'Or winners
While Manchester United weigh a blockbuster approach for Carlos Baleba, some believe that the club already has an even larger midfield wonder in their midst. And these are not only ordinary observers – we are talking about 10 balloon d'Or winners.
Earlier this week it turned out that the Red Devils set their sights on Baleba from Brighton, with manager Ruben Amorim likes to bring in a defensive midfielder after he successfully strengthened his forward line. However, Brighton is not willing to renounce the 21-year-old, who effortlessly filled Moises Caicedo's extensive shoes after the Ecuadorian had left for Chelsea in 2023.
Internally, United accepts that signing Baleba will not be an easy task this summer, because Brighton is expected to demand around £ 100 million for the Cameroon Star. Meeting that figure would Push the transfer spending from United for the summer to – and possibly further – the £ 300 million Mark with Benjamin Sesko who also arrives in Old Trafford.
Given the substantial asking price and the precarious financial state of the club, many wonder if the pursuit is worth it, especially since United already has a gifted young midfielder in Kobbie Mainoo. The 20-year-old is seen as one of Europe's most exciting rising players, underlined by his third place in last year's Kopa trophy to the best football player younger than 21 years with only Arda Guler and winner Lamine Yamal.
The prize, introduced in 2018, will be voted by a panel of former Ballon d'Or winners – of whom 10 arranged in their top three. That distinctive group contains Michael Owen, Marco van Basten, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, Ruud Gullit, Pavel Nedved, Matthias Sammer, Jean-Pierre Papin, Igor Belanov and Gianni Rivera.
Mainoo missed this year's shortlist after a stop-starting season that was disturbed by injuries, but the optimism remains high in United that he can rediscover the consistency and spark that made him the latest breakout star of the academy.
His current deal runs until 2027, with negotiations on an extension that is continuously but paused since last year. United does have an option to extend his contract with an extra year, although that has not prevented the exit rumors in recent months.
If the uncertainty about the future of Mainoo persists, United's striving for Baleba could collect pace. That said, protecting one is not necessarily dependent on the fixing of the other.
While both are active in central midfield, Baleba is a more orthodox ball -winning no. 6, while Mainoo excels in promoting possession and adding creative thrust.
If there is something, they would form an exciting couples, combine energy and tenacity of the ball with sharp passing and fast, fluent interplay on it – exactly the dynamic Amorim wants to cultivate in midfield.
At the moment Brighton retains the upper hand in all negotiations about Baleba. The player is under contract for another three years and the seagulls have built up a reputation for driving hard bargains – banking large amounts for people such as Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro and Ben White.
Whether United chooses to seriously test the determination of Brighton, still to be seen, but if they do that, Baleba Way will probably be a long -term and fiercely disputed fight.