Report: Manchester United keen on move for PSG forward | OneFootball

Manchester United Eye Ibrahim Mbaye as Carlos Baleba Interest Refuses to Go Away

Manchester United are shopping in two very different aisles, and that tells you plenty about where this squad still stands. One target is Ibrahim Mbaye, an 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain attacker with obvious upside and limited senior mileage. The other is Carlos Baleba, a Premier League midfielder who would cost serious money even after a supposed reduction in price. Put together, it looks like a club still trying to balance long-term planning with short-term need.

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According to United in Focus, United are exploring a move for Mbaye, with Tottenham also in the frame. That matters, because Spurs have already beaten United to one young talent this summer and there is no appetite at Old Trafford for repeatedly finishing second in these situations. If United think Mbaye is top-level material, they need to act with clarity, not drift and hope the market comes to them.

Ibrahim Mbaye Fits Modern Manchester United Recruitment

Mbaye’s profile is easy to understand. He is young, he is versatile, and he already has experience inside an elite environment. He made 31 appearances in all competitions for PSG in 2025/26, although the raw total needs context. Just over 1,200 minutes is not a huge workload. It suggests he was trusted in spells, used carefully, and still some way from being a guaranteed starter.

That is not a criticism. It is the reality of trying to break through in a squad stacked with established attackers. Mbaye can play on either wing and can also operate in an advanced central role, which adds value in a market where tactical flexibility often inflates price tags. He also boosted his reputation on the international stage by scoring for Senegal against France in a 3-1 defeat at the World Cup, becoming the youngest African scorer in the competition’s history. Clubs notice moments like that, even if smart recruitment departments know they cannot make decisions based on one tournament headline.

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The key point is the fee. PSG are said to value him at around €35m, which is about £30m, while interested clubs may try to get him for closer to €25m, around £21m. For a player of his age and potential, that is a meaningful gap. It is also where transfer business gets decided. United have spent enough time in recent years paying premium rates for imperfect solutions. If Mbaye is viewed as development with first-team potential, then a £21m deal is rational. Push much beyond that and the risk profile changes quickly.

Carlos Baleba Question Comes Down to Value

Baleba is a different conversation. He is 22, he knows the Premier League, and he fills a far more immediate need if United want more athleticism and authority in midfield. The latest line is that he is keen on Old Trafford, while United have not yet made a renewed move. That sounds about right. Admiration is cheap. Formal bids are not.

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United backed away when Brighton wanted at least £100m previously, and no serious club should have entertained that number lightly. Now the suggestion is that Baleba could be available for around £70m. That is still a major outlay, but at least it lives in the same postcode as reason. The issue is whether United believe he is the right midfielder at that price, not simply a more affordable version of a target they could not land before.

Baleba has qualities United could use. He covers ground, he competes physically, and he can drive play. The concern is the same one that hangs over many expensive midfield deals, consistency. If there was a drop-off in his 2025/26 season, United have to decide whether that was circumstantial, tactical, or something more fundamental. Good clubs separate form from level. Bad clubs buy names because they feel familiar.

Transfer Race With Tottenham Carries Extra Weight

There is another angle here, and United cannot ignore it. Tottenham are circling Mbaye too. When two Premier League clubs target the same young player, price rises, agents gain leverage, and the process can become noisy very quickly. If United genuinely see Mbaye as one of the best emerging forwards available, they should move decisively. If they are merely monitoring him while weighing half a dozen alternatives, they risk becoming part of the background.

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That has happened too often in the past. Recruitment works best when the club knows what it wants and why it wants it. Mbaye makes sense as a strategic signing because he offers ceiling, adaptability and resale protection. Baleba makes sense as a more immediate midfield fix, but only if the coaching staff are convinced he materially improves the side.

There is no contradiction in liking both players. The challenge is financial discipline and squad-building logic. United need more than exciting names. They need fit, function and a clear sequence to their business. Mbaye looks like an opportunity if the price is controlled. Baleba looks like a debate that will keep running until either United act or another club does.

Our View

From a Manchester United fan’s perspective, Mbaye feels like the sort of deal the club should be making more often. Young, talented, already tested at a huge club, and not yet carrying the inflated fee that comes after two full elite seasons. That does not mean he walks in and starts every week. It means you back your coaching, trust the pathway, and give yourself a chance to develop a top player before everybody else prices you out.

Baleba is harder to read. The player is good, that much is obvious, but £70m is still a lot of money for a club that cannot afford too many mistakes. Supporters have seen this film before, big fee, big expectation, mixed fit. If the football people are absolutely convinced, fine. Go and do it. If there is hesitation, walk away and find a better-value answer.

What fans want now is coherence. No more vague interest in everyone, no more long chases that go nowhere, no more paying extra because the club moved too slowly. If Mbaye is a target, be serious. If Baleba is the midfielder, commit. If neither is quite right, move on quickly. That is what competent clubs do, and United need to start looking like one again.