Manchester United failed to land a midfielder in the summer despite Ruben Amorim’s clear instructions.
The head coach had asked INEOS to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton and Hove Albion, but their valuation proved to be beyond the Red Devils’ reach after their summer spend exceeded £200 million.
However, the 20-time English league champions have still not given up hope of landing the Cameroonian, with a renewed push expected in January.
The 21-year-old’s head has clearly been turned, as revealed by Fabian Hürzeler, and now, as per The Sun, Bryan Mbeumo is also doing his bit.
Mbeumo trying to convince Baleba to join United
The report has claimed that Carlos Baleba is like a younger brother to the United summer signing, who has been trying to convince the midfielder to ditch the Amex for Old Trafford.
“Bryan Mbeumo is quietly trying to convince Carlos Baleba to join him at Manchester United. Mbeumo, 26, and Brighton midfielder Baleba have become closer while on international duty during Cameroon’s African World Cup qualifying campaign.
“Inside sources say Mbeumo has been sharing the delights of joining a mammoth club like United and is like a “big brother” to 21-year-old Baleba.
“The winger has been trying to encourage Baleba to push for a move in the January window, although any transfer would most likely take place next summer.”
Carlos Baleba needs to improve his form
A move in January will not come cheap, with the Seagulls likely to demand at least £100 million. And INEOS are unlikely to have that high a budget in the winter window.
That means a summer move is more likely at this stage. However, even that might not transpire if recent reports are to be believed.
The Peoples Person has already relayed that Baleba’s drop-off in form due to the increased attention has alarmed the United hierarchy.
They now feel Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace is a much better fit for Amorim’s system. Carlos Baleba needs to get his act together if he is to earn a dream move to Old Trafford in the future.
Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
