Carlos Baleba's Return to Manchester United: Transfer Talks Revived

Carlos Baleba’s name is back on the Manchester United table, and this time it is his camp doing the pushing.

According to Fabrizio Romano, representatives of the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder have approached United to test whether the club are willing to revive a move that came close to happening a year ago, only to be shut down by Brighton’s demands.

A deal that died at £100m

Last summer, United made Baleba their priority target for the base of midfield. Personal terms were quickly agreed. The player wanted it badly, and Romano says that in August 2025 Baleba was “pushing like crazy” to get to Old Trafford, seeing United as the dream move.

Then Brighton named their price: £100million.

United walked away. Brighton refused to sell. A top target vanished overnight, and the trail went cold once the club’s pursuit of Ruben Amorim also fizzled out in January.

The saga left a mark on the player. The speculation bit into Baleba’s early-season form, his performances dipping as the transfer noise swirled around him. The upside for United? That towering valuation has fallen. The 22-year-old is now understood to be available at around £70m, a hefty fee but a significant drop from last summer’s stand-off.

United’s midfield rebuild – and a missing piece

United have not stood still in that area. They have already spent a combined £85m this summer on Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, reshaping the heart of the team with a blend of youth and experience.

They still want more. The recruitment team is hunting what insiders describe as a relentless third midfielder – someone to anchor, destroy, and allow the rest of the side to play higher and braver. A defensive midfielder who can help them control games, not just survive them.

Romano says Baleba has re-emerged inside Old Trafford as a genuine option to fill that role. The twist is that the latest movement has not come from United, but from the player’s side.

“Those close to the player have been in contact again with Man Utd to suggest the possibility to return for Baleba,” Romano explained on his YouTube channel. Baleba, he adds, remains “super keen” on the move. The message from his camp is clear: if United are ready to come back in, he is ready to pick up where talks left off.

Ederson off, Baleba back on the radar

United’s search has already taken a few turns. A deal for Ederson has fallen through, and that setback has reopened conversations internally about alternatives. Baleba’s entourage sense an opening and want clarity: is there a real chance to restart negotiations, or should they look elsewhere?

For now, United are keeping their options wide.

Baleba was “already high on the recruitment team’s list one year ago,” Romano reminds. The question is whether that conviction still holds after the arrivals of Santos and Tielemans, and with other targets in play.

A crowded shortlist

Baleba is not alone on United’s radar.

Manu Kone, now at Roma, is one of the names under serious consideration, and at this stage United appear to be making the most tangible progress in that direction. Sander Berge at Fulham is another profile being tracked, offering Premier League know-how and a different physical presence.

At the elite end of the market, United have long admired Real Madrid’s midfield. Michael Carrick would jump at the chance to bring in Aurelien Tchouameni, but the Frenchman is expected to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu. That reality has pushed focus towards his team-mate Eduardo Camavinga, who remains on the shortlist as a more complicated, but intriguing, possibility.

Then there is Alex Scott at Bournemouth, a player United rate highly. Bournemouth, though, are determined to keep him for at least another season, and are prepared to resist heavy interest to do so.

Decision time at Old Trafford

So United stand at a familiar crossroads. A long-term target, still eager and now slightly cheaper, is effectively knocking on their door. Other options are alive, some more advanced, some more attainable, some with higher ceilings.

Baleba’s camp has made its move. The midfielder’s stance is unchanged: he wants Manchester United.

The next move belongs to the club.