Fra Whitwells artikel om sommervinduet
In an ideal world, Amorim would have got Baleba too. A dynamic midfielder was on the agenda all summer, but resources have gone elsewhere. Amorim pushed for Baleba internally, and Ratcliffe wanted United to try for him, but the club could not, in the end, justify the price. At the start of talks, conducted through intermediaries, United sensed Brighton might be open to a sale in the ballpark of Joao Pedro, who moved to Chelsea in a £60m transfer. United agreed personal terms with Baleba, who was keen on the switch, having received positive messages from Andre Onana, Mbeumo, team-mates at Cameroon, and Leny Yoro, who played with him at Lille.
As time went on though it became clear Brighton would demand a fee in the range of Moises Caideo, who went to Stamford Bridge in 2023 in a deal worth £115m. Baleba did not aggravate for the transfer.
United made a call to Brighton as a courtesy on August 15 to directly say they would not be pursuing the transfer. United are expected to return for Baleba in future.
Other midfielders were considered, including Atalanta’s Ederson, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, and Ardon Jashari, who went from Club Brugge to AC Milan. Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace and Morten Hjulmand at Sporting CP have admirers at United. Lyon’s Corentin Tolisso, 31, was a budget option, which would have been intriguing after he celebrated wildly in the Old Trafford directors’ box as his team scored twice during the Europa League tie in which he was sent off.
No midfielder arrived, meaning Kobbie Mainoo’s request to leave on loan before deadline, made in the final week of the window after two Premier League games on the bench, went unfulfilled. Mainoo’s situation had been bubbling under the surface all summer, a case of the 20-year-old feeling he would struggle for minutes behind Bruno Fernandes, who he was now competing with for position. Conversely, United considered a sale, and though many clubs were interested none made a bid.
Manchester United
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