United delay Baleba deal before transfer deadline

Manchester United weigh a long term approach and may delay a Baleba signing as the transfer window ends.

United stall Baleba deal as transfer deadline nears

Manchester United are prepared to delay a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba until next year. Senior sources say a deal before the transfer deadline is unlikely, though United have not ruled out a late bid. Baleba, 21, is under contract at Brighton until 2028 with an option for another year, and Brighton value him at around £100m, a price tag that makes a summer transfer difficult. United have already spent heavily this season on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. With Toby Collyer set to join West Bromwich Albion on loan, United still want midfield reinforcement.

Casemiro looms large as a potential obstacle to signing, with no concrete offers for the 33-year-old and a sale requiring careful budgeting to avoid losses under profitability rules. United also tracked Joao Palhinha earlier, but he joined Tottenham on loan with an option to buy. Manuel Ugarte, signed last year, has not become the long term anchor United hoped, limiting the impact of new faces in this window. Amorim must decide whether Bruno Fernandes should play alongside Ugarte or Casemiro in United's opening Premier League fixture against Arsenal, a decision that captures the broader challenge of balancing ambition with squad realities.

United’s approach shows a clear preference for patience over impulsive buying. The club appears to be weighing short term needs against long term budget discipline, especially after big summer outlays. The Baleba case highlights a market where price tags reflect market demand, and where a single transfer can reshape a squad’s plans for the season. The saga also underscores how other factors, like Casemiro’s contract situation and prior recruitment choices, constrain decisions at the top level. In this environment, the transfer window becomes less about sprinting to finish line and more about crafting a sustainable midfield strategy for the year ahead.

Highlights

The window may close with more questions than answers as United sticks to a longer term plan.