Manchester United might be circling back to a name they chased hard last summer. And this time, the price tag looks a little less insane.
Carlos Baleba was the guy everyone wanted a year ago. United included. Brighton had him locked down with a £100 million sticker on his chest, and that was that. But a lot changes in 12 months. Baleba’s had some ups and downs. He even lost his spot in the Brighton starting XI for stretches last season. That doesn’t mean the talent vanished. It just got harder to justify that kind of money.
Now according to Football Insider, the Seagulls are willing to negotiate. They’re ready to come off that nine-figure asking price. That opens the door for United to get back in the conversation, especially after losing Casemiro and dealing with Manuel Ugarte’s injury issues.
The club already has a deal in place for Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, which should get finalized soon. That’s a solid start. But they’re not done. Adding Baleba alongside Santos would give them a young, athletic midfield with serious upside. The kind of pair you can build around for years.
United’s midfield has been a problem area for a while now. They’ve tried short-term fixes and long-term projects with mixed results. Baleba still fits the profile of what they need. He’s quick, aggressive, and can carry the ball through pressure. The raw tools are there. The question is whether he can put it all together consistently.
Brighton has a history of holding firm on valuations. They let players run down contracts before selling below market rate. But this feels different. They’re willing to talk. That alone tells you the dynamics have shifted.
It’s not clear exactly how low Brighton would go. But if they drop into the 60-70 million range, United almost has to take a serious swing. A midfield three of Baleba, Santos, and whoever else they add looks a lot better than what they rolled out last season.
Meanwhile, Raphinha’s name is floating around again too. The Brazilian winger has two years left on his Barcelona contract and the club is still in financial chaos. That’s a separate conversation for now. But it’s worth watching.
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