It is quite ironic that Manchester United have failed to control games this season, given that they invested heavily in midfield this summer. INEOS signed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined fee of more than £150 million.
The Red Devils mesmerised fans with blistering front-foot football in the second half of last season under Michael Carrick, ending up third in the Premier League. Understandably, the expectation was that the new signings would help the Red Devils hit a higher gear this campaign.
Yet, much to the frustration of fans, United sit 12th in the Premier League table after six games, with one win, three draws and two defeats to their name. It is the English giants’ worst start to a campaign in 40 years!
The Red Devils have also exited the EFL Cup in the third round at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion. The 1-1 draw against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday is bound to set alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford, but perhaps it also highlighted the main issue plaguing the team.
Is Tielemans holding United back?
Tielemans has been an omnipresent figure in United’s team this season, starting all eight games across competitions so far. Six of them have been alongside Kobbie Mainoo, and the duo appear to be Carrick’s preferred midfield partnership at the moment.
However, the Mainoo-Tielemans partnership has lacked bite and aggression in the middle of the park. Defending is not the strong point of either player, which has left space open in midfield and allowed the opposition to take control.
Tielemans is a good passer of the ball, but he is not mobile enough or fast enough to fulfil the role that Mainoo needs in a midfield partner. Too many times, the English midfielder has been left isolated in the middle of the park, having to deal with opposition attacks on his own.
Besides, the Belgian’s positioning also affects Bruno Fernandes’ natural game, effectively leaving United short of bodies in midfield. Against Tottenham, Tielemans was taken off in the 59th minute in favour of Baleba, who came on and showed Carrick what he had been missing.
Baleba can fill Casemiro’s shoes
United’s main purpose in seeking midfield reinforcements this summer was to fill the shoes of the outgoing Casemiro. The Red Devils needed someone with the defensive discipline and awareness to match the Brazilian’s presence.
They also required a technical player who would not just shield the backline, but also initiate attacks and allow Mainoo the freedom to express himself. This was exactly what Baleba did off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur.
Before his introduction, United looked too open in the middle of the park, with Mainoo and Tielemans struggling to deal with Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield. The Cameroonian, however, immediately changed the situation upon his entry and refused to be bullied.
While the Red Devils ultimately dropped points due to a late lapse of concentration from the defence, Baleba stood out and showed that he can fill the gap created by Casemiro’s departure.
Carlos Baleba Stats vs Tottenham Hotspur
| Stat | Carlos Baleba |
|---|---|
| Team | Manchester United |
| Touches | 31 |
| Accurate passes | 16/18 (89%) |
| Key passes | 2 |
| Crosses (accurate) | 4 (3) |
| Long balls (accurate) | - |
| Duels (won) | 5 (3) |
| Ground duels (won) | 5 (3) |
| Aerial duels (won) | - |
| Possession lost | 3 |
| Fouls | 1 |
| Was fouled | 1 |
| Offsides | - |
| Defensive actions | 6 |
| Clearances | 1 |
| Blocked shots | 0 |
| Interceptions | 3 |
| Tackles (won) | 2 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
| Shots on target | 0 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.06 |
| Shots off target | 2 |
| Shots blocked | 0 |
| Dribbles (successful) | 1 (0) |
| Notes | Big chances created: 1 |
Source: Sofascore.
United showed a lack of planning in the summer
INEOS were extremely successful with their transfer activity in the summer of 2025, but the same cannot be said of their efforts this year. The decision to move for the relatively unproven Santos after missing out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes hints at a degree of panic behind the scenes.
Indeed, the Brazilian has started just two games so far and has hardly managed to impress. Meanwhile, there is also a belief that United went for Tielemans because they found an opportunity to sign a Premier League-proven player for a bargain fee.
While the Belgian can be a solid option from the bench, he is not the Casemiro heir that United were looking for. Instead of investing over £80 million on Santos and Tielemans, perhaps the Red Devils should have invested in a new defender, given their struggles to prevent goals.
There is still hope
While the start to the season has been nowhere near good enough, there are still enough positives to build on. United have the firepower to get their season in order, although the injuries have not helped.
Ideally, the Red Devils would have liked Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Sesko to return to full fitness at the earliest, as their absence has hurt the team. However, Baleba’s cameo should be the morsel of hope that Carrick can cling to.
The United manager must put his faith in the Cameroonian and partner him with Mainoo in the middle of the park. In the Mainoo-Baleba pairing, the Red Devils have the right backbone to get the team firing on all cylinders.
The Cameroonian can shield the defence, and provide Mainoo and Fernandes with the assurance they have lacked this season. Baleba would bring aggression, power and resilience in midfield that the English giants have desperately needed for a while.
It is still early days, but if Carrick replaces Tielemans with the Cameroonian in his starting XI, he could end up saving his job and the team’s season. Baleba could even have an impact akin to Fernandes’ arrival in January 2020.
Featured image by Alex Livesey via Getty Images
