Manchester United are currently focussed on landing an elite midfielder before the summer window slams shut.
Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Hove Albion seems to be the preferred choice of Ruben Amorim, who is pushing INEOS to seal the deal for the Cameroonian.
The Seagulls’ valuation and Manchester City’s entry into the race have further complicated matters, with the Red Devils currently trying to agree a lower initial fee.
Given Brighton’s adamant transfer stance and the lack of outgoings at the club so far, it is prudent for the co-owners to keep alternate options ready, and they have their eyes on multiple names.
Midfield alternatives
Mateus Fernandes of Southampton figures on top of that list, a player the United head coach knows well from his time at Sporting CP. The 21-year-old had come up through the ranks of the club’s famed academy.
Another Sporting star has also been looked at by the 20-time English league champions: Morten Hjumland.
The 26-year-old has a release clause worth €80 million, but there were murmurs that the Portuguese giants would be willing to sanction his departure for around €50 million.
However, the Old Trafford side have concerns about whether the Denmark international can cope with the physicality of the Premier League.
The ex-Lecce dynamo has looked class for Sporting and his national team, but the English top-flight is a different beast, something another former Sporting ace Manuel Ugarte has found out pretty quickly.
Question marks over Morten Hjulmand
“Amorim is insistent on a midfielder to fit the team together, and Baleba has been identified as best fitting the profile they want. A further attraction is that, while he offers exactly what United need right now, he also has huge potential.
“United have also looked at Sporting’s Morten Hjumland, although there are questions over whether he quite has the physicality for the position they want.”
These question marks are exactly why Amorim is pushing for Baleba, who is already Premier League-proven, and at 21, he has plenty of room for improvement.
A lot will depend on player sales and the eventual price Brighton quote. Adam Wharton, Ederson, and Douglas Luiz are among the other alternatives. It will be intriguing to see which player INEOS ultimately bring in before the window closes.
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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
