Manchester United are hellbent on signing Carlos Baleba, but their negotiations with Brighton began on the wrong foot.
The management, in agreement with Ruben Amorim, has identified the 21-year-old as the ideal profile for the No.6 role, thanks to his physical attributes and renowned ability to retrieve possession.
The Red Devils received an important boost as Baleba expressed his desire to join them, especially after contacting some familiar faces at Carrington, mainly his Cameroonian compatriots Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo, in addition to his former LOSC Lille teammate Leny Yoro.
However, dealing with Brighton has been a whole different matter for Man Utd.
Man United receive stark refusal after Carlos Baleba talks with Brighton
In the latest video posted on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that MUFC have finally opened a club-to-club dialogue with their Premier League counterparts.
Nevertheless, the Italian journalist reveals that INEOS received an undesired answer, with Brighton insisting that the player is ‘not for sale’.
As Romano explains, the Seagulls consider Baleba ‘absolutely crucial’ for their plans this season, so when Man United tried to enquire about an estimated price, they found ‘more than a wall’, as the transfer market insider puts it.
Therefore, the journalist is now expecting the Premier League giants to pursue alternative options, without naming any particular profiles. However, Romano doesn’t think that Man Utd have completely abandoned the Baleba track, so he doesn’t rule out new attempts in the coming days.
Could Adam Wharton be the answer for Man Utd?
In recent days, Adam Wharton emerged as a potential fallback option for Man Utd. After all, the Crystal Palace midfielder is also 21, and is as highly-rated as Baleba.
| Player Stats in 24/25 (Percentiles as per DataMB) | Carlos Baleba | Adam Wharton |
| Duels won | 43.3% | 88.8% |
| Possession won | 73.0 | 80.7 |
| Key passes | 30.5 | 75 |
| Progressive passes | 34.2 | 73.2 |
However, it should be noted that the England international isn’t a midfield enforcer like Baleba, but a technically gifted player capable of acting as a deep-lying playmaker.
Therefore, it remains to be seen if Amorim would be enticed by his profile. INEOS would definitely give him a thought, considering how he should be available at a significantly lower price compared to Baleba.
