Manchester United spent over £200 million to secure four senior stars for Ruben Amorim this summer – and another key target appears to already have his head at Old Trafford despite the Red Devils failing to sign him.
United’s midfield target
A new midfielder was considered a priority for the Red Devils heading into the new season with Amorim keen to add more energy to his engine room.
The club’s first-choice target was Brighton & Hove Albion starlet Carlos Baleba, the 21-year-old midfielder earning rave reviews for his performances on the south coast.
United held exploratory talks to sign the Cameroon international with personals terms reported to have been agreed as the midfielder was keen to make the switch. But Brighton – skilled operators in the market – were not ready to sell their prized asset and refused to even name a price for Baleba.
United did not consider other targets worth exploring, despite interest in Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) and Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP), though an successful move to sign Conor Gallagher on loan from Atletico Madrid was launched late in the window.
The Mancunian side are expected to revisit a pursuit of Baleba next year, be it in the January or summer window, with the groundwork already established to help seal a move.
But United’s interest in the Cameroonian may have “affect[ed] him deeply,” according to Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler after his latest poor showing for the Seagulles.
Baleba’s form has suffered
Baleba has begun the campaign in drastically worse form to how he finished the last – and his German manager believes the attention from United in the summer is the cause.
Brighton drew 2-2 against Tottenham yesterday but the north London club largely outplayed Hurzeler’s side, who hauled Baleba off at half time after a mistake gifted the Lilywhites a goal. This was a repeat of last month where the manager subbed his midfielder against Everton, explaining the decision as “tactical”.
Speaking in a post-match interview after the draw with Spurs, Hurzeler opened up on Baleba’s continued form, or lack thereof.
“For sure, when a young boy reads that there’s interest from Manchester United with a big offer, it might affect him deeply, even if he’s not saying.
“That’s also part of the development, to understand that when you play well, there comes a big offer from a big club that wants to have him. Then, to keep pushing to be humble, stay here and be bright, and try to make the next step together with the team.”
United will be paying close attention to Baleba’s performances as the Cameroonian has been poor in possession and rash in transitions. Whether this is the natural ebb and flow of a young player still learning his craft in Europe’s toughest league, or an indication of something deeper remains to be seen.
But the fact that two other young midfielders elsewhere in the Premier League – Wharton and Nottingham Forest dynamo Elliot Anderson – have begun the season brilliantly will undoubtedly be giving the Red Devils a pause over which player the club should dedicate their transfer budget towards next year.
United’s interest in Baleba may not be followed, precisely because they expressed it in the first place. Football is a funny old game sometimes.
Featured image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
