There is always lots of noise and nonsense surrounding Man Utd transfers during the summer, but when David Ornstein drops a Manchester United transfer exclusive, I sit up and listen. So when he announced that United are close to a deal for young Cameroonian midfielder, Carlos Baleba, for me, that means it’s definitely on.
The club have reportedly offered £60 million + £5 million in add ons, which is still being negotiated, but the negotiations are said to be amicable, and Baleba has been set on Old Trafford since last summer. So the deal isn’t official, but judging by how quickly United have moved on players so far this summer, the ink could be dry on the paper before I have even finished writing this!
It’s been a long time coming. Brighton were demanding £100 million for Baleba this time last year, so United walked away. Twelve months, one underwhelming season, and an ankle injury later, the price has dropped significantly. Risky? Perhaps. But the recruitment team have earned my trust with the likes of Lammens, Cunha, Mbeumo, and Sesko.
I actually think this could be excellent business. The injury isn’t serious, the underwhelming season is explainable, and he is still so young. We could get a decade out of Carlos Baleba, and he’s exactly the type of midfielder we were still missing.
What He Adds to the Midfield
I like the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans a lot, but they didn’t solve our issue with athleticism in the midfield. Baleba does.
He wins duels, covers ground quickly, and drives through the midfield on the ball. He can help protect the defence but he doesn’t just win the ball and pass it on. He’s good on the ball too, and that combination can turn a defensive situation into an attacking opportunity in seconds.
Paired with Tielemans in particular, who is calm on the ball, controls tempo and can break lines from deep with excellent passes, I think that’s a potent combination. Tielemans doesn’t have elite recovery pace and Baleba doesn’t have that eye for a perfect pass, but each player can cover the other’s weaknesses.
Plus, although he is Premier League proven, we are still partly buying potential here. Baleba’s combination of power, technique, ball winning and ball carrying ability is rare, but players can really come on under the right manager. If Carrick gets him back to his best – and we already know Carrick is a good man-manager – Carlos Baleba could offer us even more.
How United Might Line Up
Manchester United fans your thoughts on this midfield. I dnt see Carrick Benching Tielemans for Mainoo looking at his experience. Also Mainoo is not a DM so When everyone is fit I think we will see some rotation depending on the club we play.
What’s your opinion? 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/ty5b8oWYmo
— BRUNO FERNANDES COUSIN (@QueenMancunian) August 20, 2026
Carrick’s default has been a 4-2-3-1, and my default in the middle would be Baleba and Tielemans behind Bruno Fernandes.
Under Amorim, we spent too long asking our best creative player to receive the ball in his own half. Carrick moved him back to a proper number 10 role and Bruno responded with a Premier League record 21 assists. The job of the two deeper midfielders should be to win the ball and move it forward, so Bruno can get hold of it where he can really hurt our opponents.
By ‘default’, I don’t mean they should start every single match. Against a strong counter attacking side we might want a more secure base, in which case Santos and Baleba may be a better pairing. Santos is a clever ball winner who keeps possession well, plays short, sensible passes, and soaks up pressure. Not explosive like Baleba, but more controlled. Those two would be very difficult to play through.
I might opt for Tielemans and Mainoo against a deep defence. Mainoo is still one of our best players for receiving the ball under pressure, not to mention turning in tight spaces and linking up with the attack. Combined with Tielemans’ experience and creativity, those two could help create openings or break down a difficult defence.
The main point is we have so many options. We can use the right player for the right job, and react to each match as it happens.
On Mainoo and Mount
People may think this signing is bad news for Mainoo, but I disagree. His role has just changed. He may not be an automatic starter, but he’s going to play a lot. He could play beside any of the three new arrivals.
- Baleba – Covers the space behind Mainoo when he goes forward.
- Santos – Keeps the midfield stable so Mainoo can play closer to the attack.
- Tielemans – Finds Mainoo between the lines, where he can turn and combine quickly.
And anyway, competition at this level is healthy. More than that, in fact. It’s essential.
Then there is Mason Mount. If he can stay fit.
The club seem to be attempting to use Mount in a slightly deeper role, and he could work well as an energetic number 8, help lead the press if off the ball intensity is required, as well as deputising for Bruno. And with all the extra games this season and Bruno getting older, he may well need to be rested sometimes.
For the first time in years, it feels like United have a midfield that ticks all of the boxes. Baleba brings power and mobility. Santos offers control and defensive intelligence. Tielemans gives us passing and experience. Mainoo carries the ball and connects play. Mount brings movement and pressing intensity. Bruno creates and decides matches.
Of course, Carrick will experiment and some of the pairings may surprise us. But we finally have different, complementary midfielders we can try, rather than being forced into using the same unsuitable combinations whatever the situation we find ourselves in.
Our midfield rebuild is complete.