Is Baleba Man United's midfield answer after latest transfer developments?

Casemiro departed Old Trafford at the end of last season despite supporters begging him to stay following his best campaign for the Red Devils.

United have already signed Andrey Santos, who could play a defensive role in Michael Carrick's midfield, and Youri Tielemans, who will operate as a number eight.

However, there has been a hope among fans that the club would bolster defensive midfield, especially as Manuel Ugarte remains sidelined with a serious knee ligament injury.

Now, there has been a significant update involving Brighton's Carlos Baleba, and it seems that the Reds are close to clinching their man.

Man United close in on deal for Brighton's Carlos Baleba

Baleba has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with Man United exploring a move for the Cameroon international last summer.

However, Brighton clearly did not want to sell and reportedly slapped a whopping £104.6million price tag on the midfielder, as per ESPN.

A year later, much appears to have changed as The Athletic's David Ornstein has outlined the details of the 22-year-old's proposed move to United.

Ornstein reports that the 13-time Premier League champions are closing in on a deal to sign Baleba for around £60m plus £5m in add-ons, which is below the Seagulls' valuation.

He adds that amicable talks continue between the two clubs as both parties work to reach an agreement.

What would Baleba add to Michael Carrick's midfield?

Firstly, Baleba would strengthen an area of the pitch where Carrick is short, helping to fill the holes left by Casemiro and the injured Ugarte.

The Cameroonian is a powerful, athletic box-to-box midfielder who is particularly impressive in transitions, winning the ball and immediately carrying it forward, making him well suited to a high-intensity team.

As highlighted in the graphic below, the midfielder completed defensive actions all over the pitch last season in the Premier League, from his own box to the opposition penalty area, demonstrating his athleticism.

Interestingly, the majority of those actions occurred on the right side of the pitch, suggesting he covers spaces laterally as well as the defensive channels on that flank.

This would significantly benefit right-winger and compatriot Bryan Mbeumo, who would be a natural target for Baleba should he successfully win the ball in those areas.

Why might Baleba be available for less this summer?

One of the most striking details of Ornstein's report is that the current fee Man United are looking to sign Baleba for is around £40m less than what Brighton wanted just a year ago.

Last season was certainly a more underwhelming one for the Cameroonian, although it must be acknowledged that he missed five games due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Regardless, the 22-year-old's numbers were down in all departments last term.

Baleba was famed for his ability in a duel during the 2024/25 campaign, winning 199 and placing him among the top seven per cent of Premier League defensive midfielders, but he managed just 102 last term, according to Fotmob.

Defensively, the Brighton man was also weaker, with his interceptions down by 17, his recoveries down by 92 and tackles down by 42.

Getty Images

Intriguingly, he did make more defensive contributions last term, but only just ranked in the top half of defensive midfielders for this metric, whereas he was among the top 10 per cent the season prior.

Considering that he only made three fewer Premier League appearances in 25/26, the data suggests that it was a poorer campaign for Baleba, justifying his decrease in valuation.

Whether Baleba is the man United need can only be proven in time if a deal does indeed go through, but it might point to the fact that better targets are currently out of reach.

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