Manchester United have reportedly given the ‘green light’ to a £90m bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleva.
While the Red Devils appear to have improved significantly after a disastrous 2024/25 season, Valeva’s own form has taken a major dip.
2025/26 Carlos Baleva in the Premier League: the numbers
228th in progressive passes (10) 32nd in interceptions (10) 110th in tackles (11) 50th in ball recoveries (35)
Man United have won three and drawn one of their last four games, and are in a dizzying 8th place in the Premier League.
Saturday’s game at Nottingham Forest saw Ruben Amorim’s side lead 1-0 at half-time and it looked like it would be their fourth successive league win, but Forest made it 2-1 five minutes into the second half. In the end, Amad Diallo gave Man United a point.
Man United, third on the league table and top of the table against teams in the top half, are definitely improving, but there is still a lot of work to do before they can be seen as genuine challengers for Champions League qualification.
Their improved form can be attributed to the money they spent on improving their attacking capabilities, signing Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesco and Brian Mbeumo in the summer for around £200m.
Despite spending more than £210m on six new players, Manchester United are looking to add Amorim again in January.
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Manchester United give ‘green light’ for £90m signing of Baleva
One of the players given the green light to pursue Amorim is Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleva, according to X’s respected article by a team of five elite journalists.
Manchester United tried to sign Baleva in August but were scuttled by Brighton’s £100m valuation. The midfielder’s form has declined since then and the Seagulls could be more open to a sale.
Signing the central midfielder is a top priority for Amorim, with Brighton and Man United said to be holding “transfer talks”.
It is also said that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is “prepared to spend £90m on Baleva” and that “the bid has been given the green light”.
Sesco has a lot to prove at Manchester United
Manchester United’s next match is against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
They have faced teams who have struggled at home this season, winning just one of their five matches, with their only memorable away victory coming against Liverpool at Anfield last month.
New signing Sesco has scored just two goals in 11 games for Man United and was on the bench in the win against the Premier League champions.
Former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is among those who believe the jury is still out on the Slovenian striker’s £73m deal.
“The jury is very against him,” Pardew told talkSPORT.
“I haven’t seen enough of him yet to take my hat off to him and say, ‘Wow, this guy is going to be great.’
“It seems like one of those normal bedtimes for a striker, no matter where he is, where he is, missing the game, that’s enough.
“The problem with Manchester United, of course, is that there is no Europe in a team that was assembled for a European campaign.
“So he probably doesn’t have as many games as he would like.
“It’s a good problem for him (head coach Ruben Amorim), so to speak, because he can work with the team from Monday to Friday.
“For Amorim, I think this is probably what he needed this year, to work in the team and communicate his ideas. Organize that energy in the midfield… to energize the strikers.”
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