Report: Man United “would love” to sign “top player” who will cost a club-record fee in 2026

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·14. September 2025

Report: Man United “would love” to sign “top player” who will cost a club-record fee in 2026

Manchester United retain interest in Brighton midfield mainstay Carlos Baleba.

While Manchester United forked out a massive £216 million in the recently concluded transfer window to bolster their squad, they missed out on a few of their key targets. The Red Devils failed to add more quality to their midfield, and it seems to be a priority for Ruben Amorim going forward.

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Manchester United are determined to strengthen their midfield in 2026, and according to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba remains their priority target. While they did enquire about him in the summer, the Seagulls’ £100 million price tag was beyond their reach.

The Red Devils would love to sign the 21-year-old if Fabian Hurzeler’s team reconsidered their stance. However, that seems unlikely as O’Rourke believes the price tag is only going to go up. It is clear that it would take a club-record fee in order to get the deal done.

Man United remain keen on Carlos Baleba

The transfer expert said, “His price tag’s only going to go up because of how he’s performing for Brighton. “He’s a top player, Baleba, but he’s under contract until 2028 so Brighton are in no rush to cash in on him and have no intention of selling him. “They were never going to sell him in the summer transfer window, and Man United’s interest never got as far as offers or bids being made. “Baleba is on United’s radar because they’re missing that type of player in midfield, and from what I know, if Brighton are to sell him, they’ll be looking for top dollar. “There’s no guarantee his price tag will drop, and I expect it could even rise if he enjoys another stellar season for Brighton this year. “Man United would love the opportunity to sign Baleba, but they’ll have to get past Brighton first and they’ve shown that won’t be easy.”

Man United need Baleba

Carlos Baleba runs with the ball (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Baleba is exactly the type of midfielder Amorim wants in his team. He can contribute on both ends of the pitch, has an exceptional work rate and is very comfortable on the ball. He has had a sensational rise at Brighton, and it has resulted in a lot of interest from across Europe.

While Manchester United were keen on his signature during the summer, they never really came forward with an offer after learning about the Seagulls’ demands, who never really intended to sell the 21-year-old in the first place.

Since his contract runs until the summer of 2028, Brighton are in no rush to cash in on him, and if he continues to perform similarly, his price tag could go even higher.

The Red Devils can’t afford to push for his signature in the winter transfer window, and even if they did, Brighton won’t sell mid-season. If his value increases further before next summer, the Manchester-based giants will be forced to look at alternatives like Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.