Manchester United are ramping up plans to overhaul their midfield unit this summer, with talks already underway to sign one box-to-box monster — but there is now fresh impetus to revive their interest in Carlos Baleba, according to a new report.
Deal on the verge
The Red Devils are making advances to sign Atalanta dynamo Ederson, 26, after a delegation was dispatched to Bergamo to negotiate terms this week. The Brazil international’s contract expires next summer, meaning La Dea are willing to cash in, whereas previously they had placed a prohibitive asking price on their prized asset’s head.
United are understood to have already agreed a five-year contract with the player, but talks continue over a £39m deal, according to the Daily Mail. Ederson is said to consider Old Trafford a dream move and has instructed his representatives to reject offers elsewhere. Atletico Madrid and Arsenal are both interested in the Camp0 Grande native.
This significantly strengthens United’s hand across the negotiating table, explaining why talks are ongoing when reports in Italy had claimed a club-to-club agreement had already been struck.
Targets in England
INEOS’s plan is to sign three midfielders this summer, meaning Ederson is likely to be part one of a three-pronged approach to fix Michael Carrick’s stalling engine room.
The departure of Casemiro, whose contract expires imminently, will leave a chasm that Manuel Ugarte has proven incapable of filling. The 25-year-old Uruguayan is expected to be sold if a suitable offer arrives, with United needing around £25m to avoid a negative PSR hit.
The i Paper reveals Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson is the “top pick”, but United “do not see themselves matching his asking price.” Local rivals Manchester City are understood to be frontrunners for the 23-year-old England international.
Similarly, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is another “marquee name” on United’s radar, though well-placed sources expect the Italy international to “go elsewhere”, with Arsenal described as “big admirers.”
West Ham starlet Mateus Fernandes is considered a more realistic target after the 21-year-old Portugal international communicated his wish to complete a switch to Old Trafford. Club captain Bruno Fernandes has implored INEOS to sign his compatriot.
But Baleba is another option whom United would be frontrunners for if they decide to launch a move for the Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer, having already made overtures to sign him last summer.
Cut-Price Deal
United held talks to sign the 22-year-old Cameroon international in August last year, with INEOS prepared to pay up to £75m at that point. A “verbal agreement” was reached on personal terms with the player’s camp, which is still in place, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Brighton — notoriously difficult negotiators — refused to entertain any offers, however, with a sense it would have taken a fee well in excess of £100m to convince them to change this resolute stance.
Having already spent over £200m on bolstering the forward line, United walked away from the deal. The groundwork had already been done, however, making the prospect of reigniting a move this summer a likely one, even after Ruben Amorim — a main driver in identifying Baleba as a target — was sacked in January.
The former LOSC Lille star has suffered a dramatic downturn in form this season, with a sense that United’s interest had affected him mentally. This has led INEOS to downgrade both their valuation of him, as well as his standing in their wish list.
But The i Paper claims this drop in performance has led to Baleba’s price being slashed, as he will “cost significantly less than other options” on United’s radar: “A stop-start season this term means the fee could come down considerably from when United made an enquiry to Brighton last summer.”
As such, multiple sources describe the Douala native as a “more realistic capture” this summer, particularly as he is seen as a “perfect partner” to Kobbie Mainoo.
Final Thoughts
If United could strike a cut-price deal for Baleba, he ticks many of the boxes — young, hungry, versatile, Premier League proven — INEOS have made their guiding principle since taking the helm at Old Trafford. But the fact that his performance levels tanked just by being linked to the Red Devils is a major red flag the club’s hierarchy will need to be mindful of.
It’s perhaps this uncertainty which has led to Ederson, a player with a broadly similar skillset to Baleba, being prioritised, given the Brazilian turns 27 in June and has a wealth of experience at the top levels of Italian and European football.
Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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