£115 million maestro ‘very open’ to Manchester United move; Amorim & Co. considering alternatives

Originally posted on We All Follow United
By Jainil Shah | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 10:21 PM ET

Carlos Baleba is open to joining Manchester United

We saw how desperate Manchester United were about bringing a new midfielder to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window. But no move materialised, with Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba reportedly being the priority midfield target along the window.

While the window has come to close, Manchester Reds still hold interest in his signature, given how the Cameroon international was high on the target shortlist throughout the window. We saw the Seagulls put up a hefty £115 million price tag on his signature.

But Baleba is reportedly “very open” to seeing off a possible move to Old Trafford.

That being said, quite understandably, that big money price tag ended up killing any possible transfer. But the groundwork that the chiefs at Carrington laid for a possible transfer hasn’t gone to waste quite yet.

The club has agreed to personal terms with the player already, making a possible move to Old Trafford wide open when 2026 comes around.

Is Baleba to United a bit too soon for January?

Given the immediate need to bring in a new midfielder, complemented by the fact that Man United didn’t sign anyone, Ruben Amorim would be hurting and pushing for a possible recruitment in the winter window.

And while Baleba still remains a priority name at M16, Brighton have shown zero interest in negotiating mid-season as of now, and that means a possible return to attain his signatures in the upcoming winter window is going to be quite difficult.

But we know that the chiefs behind the scenes are looking at those second-phase recruitments as the next phase of the build-up that the club has to undergo under the Portuguese head coach. This means they will surely try to revisit the Baleba deal in winter even if it means it would just keep the relationship warm.

There are also other alternatives that Manchester United have been looking at…

Beyond Baleba, United are ensuring that they lay ground for backups if the transfer for the Cameroonian doesn’t come through. Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has been identified as a possible alternative alongside Sporting Lisbon maestro Morten Hjulmand.

This article first appeared on We All Follow United and was syndicated with permission.

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