Man Utd Told To ‘Pay £44M’ For Player Deemed A ‘Cheaper Alternative’ To Carlos Baleba

BACK David Tully Nov 19th 2025 Wolves have set their asking price for Man Utd transfer target Joao Gomes, according to reports in the Portuguese media. The midfielder is on the Red Devils’ shortlist ahead of the January transfer window but Record claim that they will need to “pay €50m (£44m)” to prise him away from Wolves midway through the season. Other sources have suggested that Gomes would be on the market for £30m, although it is felt that figure would only be accepted in the summer if Wolves are relegated. If head coach Ruben Amorim wants the player in January, his team will have to pay a premium to get him. Gomes would cost less than other targets As Record point out, the Brazilian international would still be classed as a “cheaper alternative” to the likes of Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, who have price tags in the range of £100m. Director of Football Jason Wilcox and Amorim will have to decide whether signing Gomes now or waiting until the summer to pursue the likes of Baleba is the right approach. Will Man Utd hold out for their No.1 option? Most supporters would agree that strengthening the midfield is the top priority, but deciding when that should happen is going to be a major bone of contention. Purchasing a player in January could bolster Amorim’s team’s push for European qualification but it would also leave less money in the coffers for the summer. If the club genuinely believe that the likes of Baleba, Anderson or perhaps Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton are their top targets, then it might be wiser to hold fire on pursuing a midfielder until the end of the season. We shall see what approach they opt for over the coming weeks and months. Read more about the Manchester United First Team Squad for 2025/26 here David Tully David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.