David Ornstein chooses Manchester United’s ideal midfield transfer

Manchester United are almost certainly going to sign a world-class center midfielder in the summer 2026 transfer window to help overhaul their sagging unit, and, if anything, the real question is whether or not the Red Devils will go ahead and sign two.

The young Premier League trio of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, and Adam Wharton sits atop the Jim Ratcliffe transfer wishlist, but Man United are also very high on Angelo Stiller over in the Bundesliga, too, among other targets.

There are a lot of players to choose from, and the best Premier League transfer insider in all the land, David Ornstein over at the Athletic, was asked who he would choose if he were Manchester United.

Ornstein’s pick? Brighton star Carlos Baleba, who was actually seen as the odds on favorite to join Man United in the future last summer before Anderson and Wharton entered the fray as enticing options.

The Athletic ace reporter said of Baleba and Man United, “Carlos Baleba, because they want him, he wants them. Brighton don’t want to let him go but we’ll see what the future holds.”

Baleba was pushing hard to join Manchester United even last summer, but the Red Devils couldn’t swing a deal since Brighton had no leverage to sell and were asking for well over 100 million pounds.

Clearly, Baleba, who was insanely good last season, wants to leave Brighton, and some fans of the club are accusing Baleba of sandbagging for a transfer to Old Trafford, since he hasn’t been quite as effective to start the 2025/26 season.