Manchester United are hoping to pounce on Brighton’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo to finally sign their priority midfield, Carlos Baleba.
The Man Utd academy product’s future has been under great scrutiny over the past few days, with the situation fast escalating. Ruben Amorim kept the England international on the bench in the first two Premier League fixtures of the season, and then declared that the young player would have to fight for his place in the team against Bruno Fernandes.
Since he’s unlikely to displace the club captain and Man Utd’s most creative player over the past years or so, Mainoo asked to leave the club, at least on a temporary basis.
Kobbie Mainoo is hoping to leave Man Utd in the coming days
This situation alarmed a host of top European suitors, while sources close to Stretty News confirm interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Napoli, while Olympique Marseille consider him a potential replacement for the unwanted Adrien Rabiot.
Moreover, Mainoo has suitors in the Premier League, including Tottenham and Everton. However, it is Brighton’s enquiry that sparked an interesting idea in the minds of Man United officials.
As our sources reveals, INEOS are hoping to use Mainoo as a bait to reopen talks with the Seagulls regarding Baleba.
Man United hoping to use Mainoo to revive Carlos Baleba talks
The Red Devils had identified the ‘wonderful’ 21-year-old as the ideal profile to play alongside Fernandes in the double pivot. However, Brighton swiftly closed the door, refusing to discuss any figures below £100 million.
Nevertheless, several sources, including Fabrizio Romano, insisted that Man United are still keen to sign Baleba, even if it means waiting for 2026. Hence, Brighton’s interest in Mainoo could be the opening that Man Utd need to pull off a swap deal.
However, this sort of operation is often complicated, as it requires several agreements between various parties. Moreover, there’s a major gap in the two players’ valuations, so United would have to offer a significant amount of cash to convince their EPL counterparts.
In any case, Mainoo’s situation is one to keep a close eye on in the next 48 hours or so.
