PL side drop clear hint that United dream target close to leaving, Amorim will be overjoyed – report

Manchester United badly need more quality in the middle of the park, something Ruben Amorim had flagged in the summer. The head coach had asked INEOS for a midfielder, specifically Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Hove Albion, but the co-owners prioritised improving the team’s attack. The Seagulls valued their midfield talisman at over £100 million, which the Red Devils refused to spend. As a result, the move was pushed to the backburner. The 21-year-old’s head was completely turned by United’s interest, and as a result, his form for Brighton dropped off dramatically. Brighton planning for Baleba succession Something Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler did not shy away from mentioning. As a result, United have also moved on to Elliot Anderson, and Adam Wharton, but links with Carlos Baleba have refused to go away. A lot of teams are eyeing the Brighton No.17, and as per The Telegraph, the team from the South Coast have identified the perfect succession plan for when the Cameroon international leaves. The idea for Brighton is to sell the defensive midfielder next summer, and replace him with Aston Villa midfielder Lamare Bogarde. “Brighton are monitoring Aston Villa midfielder Lamare Bogarde as they assess a succession plan for £100m-rated Carlos Baleba. United must be ready to pounce “Baleba, 21, is among the clutch of young central midfielders who could be prominent in the transfer market next summer as clubs look for a long-term No 6. “Baleba was the subject of an inquiry from Manchester United last summer and although a deal did not progress, they are still in the hunt for a long-term No 6.” This is the clearest indication that Carlos Baleba will be leaving next summer. The Peoples Person has already relayed that his price could be slashed to £74 million. It will be intriguing to see who INEOS ultimately go for — whether it be Baleba, Anderson, or Wharton. Feature image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25