Man Utd told to pull plug on ‘agreed’ deal for next midfield signing as ‘serious doubts’ emerge
Man Utd are ready to ‘pull the plug’ on a deal to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba as they search for a new midfielder, according to reports.
The Red Devils had a brilliant second half of the 2025/26 season and INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are looking to back Michael Carrick with the funds to continue his good work.
It was clear from the start of the summer that Man Utd would go after at least two midfielders and, after signing two, the Red Devils are now looking for a third.
Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have joined from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, while a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson fell through at the medical stage.
One player who Man Utd hold a long-term interest in is Brighton midfielder Baleba and journalist Ben Jacobs revealed recently that they still have ‘agreed’ personal terms with the player.
Jacobs said on the Market Madness podcast: “You have Carlos Baleba who’s still there. If Man United revisit that deal, the player wants Manchester United.
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“Terms were agreed with the player last summer, but it depends on if Man United want to rekindle that deal now they’ve missed out on other targets, and it’s also contingent on Brighton not turning around and saying Elliot Anderson, 116million, and so on, Mateus Fernandes, 5 million, and pointing to a number that starts with a one and has two zeros on it, because Man United’s valuation of Carlos Baleba last summer was 75million.
“That was when Baleba was peak interest, peak form, now he’s coming off the back of a less consistent season, a couple of injuries, and Manchester United, if they were to go for Baleba, would want to pay less than they were willing to pay last summer. Brighton are always tough negotiators.”
‘There’s no way they should be making a move’
And now Football Insider has revealed that Man Utd could be wise to ‘pull the plug’ on a deal for Baleba with ex-Man Utd chief scout Mick Brown insisting he looked “lethargic” last season.
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Brown told Football Insider: “Carlos Baleba is somebody who has been on Man United’s radar for a while.
“The first time I watched him, I thought he was a top-class talent, he was very impressive and probably just what Man United wanted, but that hasn’t been the case recently.
“Whenever I watched him last season, he looked a long way off of his usual level, he looked distracted, slow, lethargic at times. That’s going to cause serious doubts.
“Based on the evidence of last season, and Man United will have been watching him closely, there’s no way they should be making a move to add him to their midfield.
“Especially not as a replacement for Casemiro, which is what we expect they’re looking for now after the other two deals have been agreed.
“He doesn’t fit that mould at all, and given the way he’s been playing for Brighton, they’re going to need to see more from him if he wants to make a big move.”
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