Carlos Baleba Moves Closer to Manchester United Switch
Manchester United are trying to get carlos baleba over the line before the World Cup, with Brighton still holding one of their most prized midfielders. Personal terms were said to have been broadly agreed last summer, and United had already looked at him again in January.
Baleba’s United push
Baleba is 22 and remains a top target as United search for a true powerhouse midfielder. The club want the move wrapped up this summer, not left to drift beyond the tournament window.
That urgency sits against the valuation chatter around him. A fee closer to £50m has previously been linked with United’s hope, while a £100m asking price was touted in the past.
Brighton’s Baleba valuation
The numbers around him have tracked his rise. He has started 22 Premier League games this season and averaged 54 minutes per game, having been routinely hooked at the break in the early weeks of the campaign.
Last season offered the cleaner read on why he is drawing attention. He averaged 1 successful dribble per game, was dribbled past 0.9 times per game, and posted 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game.
Pogba, De Bruyne, Thiago
Baleba’s own references point to the type of midfielder United think they are chasing. “I had a lot of idols that I watched on TV, especially in midfield: Paul Pogba at first, Kevin De Bruyne at second, and Thiago Alcântara at third. I watched them, I tried to imitate what they did. I never had any other dream than football.”
He had also been a United target during his time at Lille, and an analyst said he is similar to Pogba in acceleration and power. That link matters because United have spent years looking for a long-term answer in midfield since Pogba’s second exit in 2022, with Sofyan Amrabat, Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount among the additions that have not settled that problem.
For United, the cleanest read is simple: they want Baleba now, they have tracked him before, and the price gap between £50m and £100m is still the obstacle sitting in front of a summer deal.
