7 Reasons Why Manchester United Are Heavily Interested in Carlos Baleba

Manchester United’s summer rebuild has been clear in direction — pace, power, and athleticism are the new currency at Old Trafford. 

With Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and the soon-to-arrive Benjamin Sesko adding firepower up front, manager Ruben Amorim’s vision is evident.

One name now firmly on their radar is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, a 21-year-old midfielder whose game screams intensity and versatility. According to The Athletic, Here’s why United are so interested.

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Amorim has been vocal about his need for pace and ground coverage in midfield. Baleba thrives in this area — an all-action, front-footed midfielder who can eat up space and inject dynamism into the heart of the pitch. His athleticism matches the manager’s tactical demands perfectly.

United’s current midfielders each have limitations. Casemiro has experience but fading legs at 33. Bruno Fernandes is elite on the ball but less effective off it, while Manuel Ugarte is  strong defensively but limited in possession.

 Baleba blends these qualities — defensive bite, composure in possession, and box-to-box energy.

Statistically, Baleba is a defensive workhorse. Across Europe’s top five leagues, he ranks in the 88th percentile for both front-foot defending and tackle success. He’s not just high-volume in challenges — he wins them, often by catching opponents unaware and stealing possession.

According to SkillCorner data, Baleba is among the best under-23 midfielders in Europe at retaining the ball under pressure. His ability to wriggle out of tight spaces and drive the ball forward from deep makes him a valuable asset for breaking opposition presses — especially vital in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, where midfield space can be tight.

Baleba has filled in at left centre-back for Brighton when injuries struck, showing comfort dropping deep to help build play. This flexibility offers United emergency cover in defence while maintaining progression from the back.

After a slow bedding-in period in 2023–24, Baleba became indispensable last season, playing more league minutes than all but two Brighton players. In contrast, United’s midfield core struggled with availability, making his durability and consistency especially attractive.

Brighton have sold Yves Bissouma, Alexis Mac Allister, and Moises Caicedo to top clubs in recent years. Baleba is the next in line — a hybrid of Caicedo’s tenacity and Bissouma’s composure. At just 21, he’s not the finished product, but his ceiling is huge.

Baleba combines the physical attributes, tactical intelligence, and developmental upside that Manchester United’s midfield sorely needs.

 With Brighton likely demanding a fee north of the £115m received for Caicedo, United may have to move quickly to avoid a bidding war — but the interest is easy to understand.