Just in: Another Man Utd target fades as Ornstein reveals ‘fantastic’ EPL star sustained injury

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Utd Report

·6 August 2026

Just in: Another Man Utd target fades as Ornstein reveals ‘fantastic’ EPL star sustained injury

For the second summer in a row, Carlos Baleba appears set to miss out on a transfer to Manchester United after picking up an untimely knock.

The Cameroonian is considered among the most physically imposing midfielders in the Premier League.

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The 22-year-old’s exploits at Brighton earned him interest from several top clubs, and chief among them Man Utd.

Carlos Baleba suffers pre-season ankle injury

Last summer, Baleba was the first name on Man Utd’s midfield shortlist, but club officials were deterred by Brighton’s astronomical valuation, setting their asking price at over £100 million.

In the end, United chose to delay their midfield revamp to the following year, while focusing on rebooting their attack.

This summer, the Cameroonian became an afterthought for Man Utd, who turned to alternative profiles. INEOS have been keen to avoid bidding wars and hefty operations, instead buying Andrey Santos for £48 million and Youri Tielemans for £35 million.

At this stage, there have been conflicting reports regarding United’s plans for a third midfielder, but Baleba’s name remained on the list, especially with the player said to be hellbent on joining the Red Devils.

But sadly for the Brighton star, any hopes he still had of joining Michael Carrick’s ranks have likely been dashed after sustaining an injury in pre-season.

In his latest update on The Athletic, top journalist David Ornstein revealed that the Cameroonian midfielder hurt his ankle and is now a major doubt for the start of the season.

While this might not necessarily be a serious injury, it will certainly hurt his chances of earning his desired transfer.

How will Baleba’s injury affect Man United’s plans?

Despite signing Santos and Tielemans, many observers feel Man Utd have yet to genuinely replace Casemiro, hence why Aurelien Tchouameni remains a popular profile at Carrington.

However, the Frenchman’s availability hinges on several factors, so Baleba could have been a suitable alternative.

That being said, Brighton’s asking price remains relatively high considering his underwhelming 2025/26 campaign and how he lost his starting spot at times. The enforcer was a far cry from the ‘fantastic’ player who earned Roy Keane’s praise following his 2024/25 exploits.

Therefore, Baleba’s injury shouldn’t have a dramatic effect on Man Utd’s plans, as his arrival was already unlikely.