Dylan Oakley Aug 12th 2025
Man United could force a swap deal with Premier League rivals Brighton to land midfielder Carlos Baleba.
It is never a dull day at Old Trafford during the transfer window, and just after the Benjamin Sesko saga was solved, it seems that there is a new one unfolding for Ruben Amorim. Man United have been linked with Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba as they want to improve in the holding midfield role.
However, Brighton are reluctant to sell the Cameroonian star, and value him in a similar ilk to how they valued Moises Caicedo when he joined Chelsea in 2023 for £115m. This could be a serious issue for United, who have already spent over £200m this summer, and desperately need to sell players to make some money back.
Baleba would be a great addition no doubt, but with such an expensive cost for the 21-year-old, Man United may have to be creative if they are to secure a deal for the midfielder, especially for a reasonable price.
Man United could involve Antony in a swap deal
According to recent reports, Brighton would like a fee of around £112m for Baleba, which is a simply unattainable amount for Man United to match. So, with that in mind, if they are to land the 21-year-old, they will need to think of a way to make the deal more manageable.
Recent reports by ManchesterWorld have suggested that Brighton are keeping an eye on Antony, who is due to leave Man United this summer, after his successful loan spell at Real Betis. United will need to sell the Brazilian for at least £32.5m if they want to avoid making a loss with regards to Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
So, what they could do, both to help offload Antony, and land their primary target, is they could offer Antony as part of a swap deal for Baleba, with a player-plus-cash type deal. This would ensure that they free up some wage budget, cheapen any deal for Baleba, and finally offload a player, who they have wanted to sell for several months now. It would be beneficial for all parties involved, and even though it would be an outrageous story in the transfer window, Man United shouldn’t rule it out as an option.
