Man Utd's decision to make Baleba their 'third midfielder'

What the report says

Manchester United are in talks to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba as what BBC Sport describes as the club’s planned “third midfielder” in a summer revamp of Michael Carrick’s squad. According to the report, United have already added Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, while other names linked with the role included Aurelien Tchouameni, Alex Scott, Manu Kone, Sander Berge and Tyler Adams.

The BBC says United have now made an initial bid of £60m plus £5m in add-ons, but Brighton are expected to demand more. Negotiations are continuing and the expectation is that a deal could still be completed. Baleba, who has made 112 appearances for Brighton since arriving from Lille in August 2023, is said to offer the sort of box-to-box energy United lacked in a recent defeat by AC Milan.

The article frames the move as part of a wider shift in United’s recruitment strategy, with the club working more quietly and efficiently than in some previous transfer windows. It also notes that the midfield rebuild follows departures and role changes involving Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, leaving Kobbie Mainoo as the most established remaining option.

More broadly, the report suggests United still need further defensive reinforcement, particularly at left-back, even if the Baleba signing goes through.