Carlos Baleba's Potential Move to Manchester United: A New Opportunity
Carlos Baleba has never really let go of Manchester United. Now, it seems, his camp is testing whether Old Trafford still feels the same.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder’s representatives have approached United to see if there is any appetite to revive a move that came close to happening a year ago, only to be crushed by Brighton’s price tag.
A deal that died at £100m
Last summer, United made Baleba their No 1 midfield target. Personal terms were agreed quickly; the player, Romano says, was “pushing like crazy” in August 2025 to make the transfer happen and realise what he saw as a dream move.
Then came the hard part: Brighton.
The Seagulls slapped a £100million valuation on the 22-year-old. United made contact, balked at the figure and walked away. Baleba stayed on the south coast, United moved on, and the story was supposed to be over.
It left a mark. The speculation weighed on Baleba, whose performances dipped in the first months of last season. The upside for any suitor now is that Brighton’s stance has softened. His asking price has fallen to around £70m, a sizeable drop for a player still regarded as a high-ceiling defensive midfielder.
United’s midfield rebuild – and a familiar name
United have not stood still in that area. This summer they have already committed around £85m on Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, reshaping the core of their midfield. The plan is clear: add a third, more destructive presence to anchor games and give the side a platform to dominate.
Baleba has re-entered that conversation.
“Baleba had an agreement on personal terms with Man Utd. So he had his dream to become a Man Utd player,” Romano said on his YouTube channel, underlining just how advanced talks were last year.
Back then, the deal was tied closely to the Amorim project at Old Trafford. Baleba was a “top target” in that structure. When United and Amorim decided in January not to continue together, that entire track went cold. The midfielder’s name drifted off the agenda.
Now it’s back.
Pressure from the player’s side
The push this time is not coming from United. It is coming from Baleba’s camp.
Those close to the player have reached out to United, Romano reports, to “suggest the possibility” of returning to the table. They want clarity. After other midfield pursuits stalled – including a collapsed move for Ederson – Baleba’s agents are trying to understand whether there is any realistic chance of reopening negotiations.
United’s need is not in doubt. They want another defensive midfielder. The question is whether they see Baleba, at £70m, as the right piece at the right time, or whether the recruitment team, who had him high on their list a year ago, have pivoted to different profiles.
What has not changed is the player’s stance. Romano describes Baleba as “super keen” on joining United. The decision now sits firmly with the club.
A crowded shortlist
Baleba is one name in a packed field.
United are exploring a range of options. Manu Kone, now at Roma, is currently the subject of the most advanced talks. Sander Berge of Fulham and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga are also on the shortlist, giving United a spectrum of styles and price points.
Inside the club, there is admiration for Aurelien Tchouameni, but that particular dream looks out of reach. The France international is set to sign a new contract with Madrid, forcing United to turn their gaze to his team-mate Camavinga if they want to prise anyone out of the Bernabeu.
Closer to home, Alex Scott remains a player United “are big admirers of”. Bournemouth, though, are determined to keep him for at least another year, and have shown little interest in entering serious negotiations.
So United stand at a familiar crossroads: a clear need, multiple candidates, a finite budget, and one midfielder whose heart is already at Old Trafford.
Do they finally move for Carlos Baleba, or does his dream remain just that?
