Manchester United have significantly improved their attack by signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko.
The team has looked much more fluid moving forward, but familiar concerns regarding a lack of control in midfield remain.
Manuel Ugarte’s struggles have continued in pre-season, with the head coach handing him only seven minutes in the final pre-season game against Fiorentina.
Casemiro is likely to struggle in the Premier League owing to his ageing legs, while Kobbie Mainoo is yet to fully convince the head coach.
Midfield reinforcements needed
Which is why the Portuguese tactician is pushing INEOS to sign Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba. It won’t be easy with the Seagulls demanding a British transfer record fee to let him leave.
Things have now been further complicated by the entry of fierce cross-town rivals Manchester City in the race.
As per Fichajes, Pep Guardiola wants City to go after the Cameroonian, who is young and a good fit for the Spanish coach’s style of play.
Official negotiations between Brighton and City have not started as yet, but their interest is genuine, and alarms bells could be ringing at Old Trafford regarding a potential hijack.
“Manchester City appear determined to make a strong move in the upcoming transfer market and are targeting Carlos Baleba, one of the most promising young midfielders in the Premier League.
“His characteristics have caught the attention of Pep Guardiola, who sees him as an ideal player to strengthen his team’s midfield and maintain its dominance both in England and Europe.
City enter the race for Carlos Baleba
“Brighton have set a price tag of €120 million, a figure that reflects Baleba’s growing importance in the current football landscape. Although there are no official negotiations yet, Manchester City’s interest is real.
“The Sky Blue club is looking for young players capable of adapting to Guardiola’s demanding style of play, and Baleba fits that profile perfectly: talent, physicality, and learning ability.”
It will be interesting to see how the Red Devils react to this news if true. Amorim clearly is a fan of Carlos Baleba, but player sales will be necessary to facilitate a move this summer.
The player has not closed the doors to a potential switch, and should a deal not materialise in this window, the 20-time English league champions are expected to return next summer.
Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
