Manchester United is making a £65 million bid for Baleba! Mount's injury facilitates the deal, with the player expected to play as a defensive midfielder and left-back.

David Ornstein, a leading transfer expert at The Athletic, reports that Manchester United and Brighton are nearing a deal for midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Red Devils have made an opening bid of around £60 million (€70 million) with an additional £5 million in performance-related clauses. The offer is deemed lower than Brighton's desired valuation and not yet enough to seal the transfer. However, negotiations remain cordial as both sides work toward a final agreement.

This summer, Manchester United has prioritized reinforcing the defensive midfield position. In mid-July, Youri Tielemans and André Santos joined from Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively, for a combined £85 million. However, a previously agreed deal with Atalanta for Brazilian international Ederson was canceled due to concerns over his knee injury.

Due to Uruguayan midfielder Ugarte suffering a torn ACL in his left knee during the World Cup and undergoing surgery, he is ruled out for the season. United currently lacks any pure defensive midfielder. Owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has long admired Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni and was waiting to see if a move could be made.

Unfortunately, Real Madrid lost the race for Manchester City's Rodri to Barcelona, making Tchouaméni's transfer highly unlikely. Ratcliffe had to accept the dream was over, similar to the situation with Elliott Anderson before the summer window opened, as the English international firmly chose Manchester City instead.

United's decision to act on Baleba now is partly due to the injury of English midfielder Mason Mount. Mount impressed during pre-season, leading the club's hierarchy to believe they had enough depth. However, the injury-prone player suffered a setback in the match against Paris Saint-Germain, which turned out to be more serious than initially thought, causing him to miss all subsequent training and matches.

Meanwhile, other potential midfield targets like Fulham's Sander Berge, Bournemouth's Tyler Adams, and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly all have issues. Berge and Adams are considered too old at 28 and 27 respectively, while the 19-year-old Lewis-Skelly is unwilling to leave Arsenal.

Therefore, Ratcliffe's team has had to reconsider Baleba. The 22-year-old Cameroonian defensive midfielder is currently recovering from an injury and may miss the Premier League opener. However, he agreed to join United last year and is eager to fulfill his dream of playing for the Red Devils, with no obstacles regarding personal terms.

Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany reports that Manchester United has reached a 100% agreement with Baleba on personal terms. However, the transfer fee with Brighton has yet to be finalized, and no medical examination has been scheduled. United may need to increase their offer, and the club hopes to reach an agreement soon. The total fee is expected to be within £70 million.

If the transfer for Baleba goes through, he will become a first-team member under manager Carrick, capable of filling gaps left by Tielemans, Santos, Kobbie Mainoo, and Bruno Fernandes. Baleba moved from Lille to Brighton in the summer of 2023, making 112 appearances. Last season, he played 35 times for the Seagulls, but his form was affected by a failed transfer to United and injury struggles.

Nevertheless, United's scouts assessed his performances in the Africa Cup of Nations and believe his abilities are not in question. His characteristics suit Carrick's requirements, particularly in terms of coverage, ball-winning, and passing. Additionally, Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic notes that Baleba is left-footed, and the Red Devils think he could fill in at left-back if needed.