[MyDaily = Reporter Kim Geon-ho] Manchester United is searching for a partner to play alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
United plan to bolster their central midfield this summer. Casemiro will leave when his contract expires, and Manuel Ugarte could also depart.
At the moment, Mainoo is effectively the only senior midfielder in the first-team squad. With United set to return to next season’s UEFA Champions League, the club needs to bring in several midfield options to deepen the squad.
UK outlet GiveMeSport reported on May 8 (KST) that journalist Alex Crook says Manchester United remain interested in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba.
Baleba was strongly linked with United last summer as well. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano claimed personal terms were agreed, but the move ultimately fell through.
Since then, United haven’t added a central midfielder, and for nearly a year the club has been linked with a range of midfield targets, including Baleba, Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid) and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).
Against that backdrop, Crook told Talksport’s YouTube channel that United’s recruitment team view Baleba as a player who can pair with Mainoo. That assessment highlights how much Mainoo’s stock has risen — he’s gone from a player reportedly open to leaving to an established first-team regular, Crook said.
Mainoo struggled for minutes under the previous manager but secured a starting midfield spot after Michael Carrick took charge.
Crook added that United are not looking to replace Mainoo; they want a teammate to play alongside him. Baleba could be that player, and the club appears willing to factor in that he had a below-par season at Brighton.
The sticking point is the transfer fee. The Athletic values Baleba at around £50 million (about 100 billion KRW, approximately $75 million), but sources inside Brighton see it differently.
Crook said Brighton figures scoff at that price and still view Baleba as a player who could command a fee on par with Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo left Brighton for Chelsea in August 2023 for about £115 million (about 229 billion KRW, approximately $171.8 million). Brighton reportedly place a similar valuation on Baleba.
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