Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has urged the club to sign Brighton midfield mainstay Carlos Baleba.
Manchester United spent in excess of £200 million to reinforce their attack in the summer. While it has certainly helped their cause, the massive spending meant they couldn’t invest in their midfield, which seemed a bigger priority for them.
The Red Devils are now looking to strengthen the centre of the park, and Carlos Baleba is one of the names on their wishlist. United legend Louis Saha has urged the club to sign the African sensation. He considers the Brighton midfielder an ideal fit for their project.
While he believes the Red Devils will have to wait until the summer to sign him, Saha wants them to go all out to land him at Old Trafford, even though he knows a potential transfer will cost a fortune.
Saha on why United should push for Baleba
While talking about United making a move for the 21-year-old on TEAMtalk, Saha said: “Like everyone, I thought maybe we were close to signing Carlos Baleba from Brighton in the summer transfer window,”
“There are some decent players at the moment who might be in better form, but he is an excellent central midfielder. It’s a crucial part of the team, and even if Casemiro has improved a lot of late, I still think that we need that fire and that power more than anything, and that’s what Baleba can provide.
“We definitely have a need for a connection between midfield and going forward, and this is the position that can be improved. It’s not easy to find that type of player, but I think Baleba could be the perfect option.
“Maybe United will look at him in the summer, but we know the price tag is going to be enormous.”
The Red Devils were linked with Carlos Baleba throughout the summer, but they didn’t make any concrete moves to sign him, as Brighton were not ready to negotiate his departure and had slapped an unrealistic price tag on him.
United should go all out to sign Baleba
United’s priority heading into 2026 is to add more quality to their midfield. While they have quite a few names on their wishlist, Saha wants the Red Devils to push hard to sign the £100 million-rated Brighton defender.
The former United striker sees Baleba as an ideal long-term replacement for Casemiro. While the Brazilian is back at his best, his contract is running out, and he is already in the twilight of his career.
The Brighton star could be the guy who becomes the bridge between United’s midfield and attack. While the cost of the operation will be a touch on the higher side, his potential suggests he could become one of their mainstays in the long run.
