REPORT: Man Utd Are ‘Fighting’ Chelsea For Cheaper Carlos Baleba Alternative

BACK David Tully Dec 14th 2025 Man Utd are weighing up a potential move for Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki, according to reports in Switzerland. The 20-year-old only joined the Black Cats from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise for €17m back in July, but it appears as if he has already caught the attention of other Premier League clubs. Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri claims that the Red Devils will be “fighting” Chelsea for Sadiki’s signature. The Blues are said to have made formal enquiries following Sunderland’s win at Stamford Bridge back in October. United, meanwhile, have been sending scouts to monitor Sadiki’s progress since the beginning of the campaign. Sadiki is regarded as a cheaper option than Baleba While the Republic of Congo international will cost considerably more than what Sunderland paid for him in the summer, it’s unlikely that his asking price will top Brighton’s valuation of Carlos Baleba Tavolieri suggests Sadiki is among the alternatives that Director of Football Jason Wilcox is looking at ahead of the January transfer window. Signing a midfielder is the No.1 priority for Man Utd Sadiki and Baleba are by no means the only targets the Red Devils are considering to strengthen their options in the middle of the park. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Olympiakos’s Christos Mouzaktis, Wolves’ Joao Gomes and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher are also believed to be on the club’s radar. All of these players have different price tags so a lot will hinge on the transfer budget for January. That may also determine how high up Sadiki is on the shortlist. He would probably be cheaper than Anderson and Wharton, in addition to Baleba, but he may cost more than Mouzakitis and Gallagher, who are believed to be valued at around €30m (£26m). Read more about the Manchester United First Team Squad for 2025/26 here David Tully David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.