There's a video for more context. I posted the original on here and linked the video because the tweet didn't give the full thing.
Carlos Baleba | joins United | Announced
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More Baleba chatter since his injury than the preceding weeks. Strange
Brighton's greed ruined his career. Their attitude last summer was like "we dont wanna sell and he should break a new transfer record like Caicedo did". They had it big with Caicedo and based Baleba valuation on it. Just pure insanity.
Maybe the real medical science is the friends we made along the way
Considering the prices for Tonali, Fernandes, Diomande and Anderson were they really wrong for trying to do that?
They paid decent money for him and he became really good for them and has since gone off the boil. He has a lot of talent. He could be a great option when we need running power, I'd pay good money for him. There's a lad who signed for Coventry who looked amazing in Denmark and scored on the World Cup for Ghana I think he could have been the same profile as Baleba at a fraction of the price. Feck knows what we are at to be honest. I do think we've collected some very good players now and it seems like a driven group under a manager they like. Top 4 100% even if we don't sign anyone else. They are pressing together and working really hard off the ball. That's what we've been missing, a few counters and that's game over. It's direct and not so rigid, I like it.
Why would he want to move to Real? He's absolutely desperate to join United. I've seen nothing that he'd be another Ronaldo and see us as a stepping stone.
If he gets the move I can honestly see him giving it 100% at United. I'd certainly want him on a loan with buy clause as things stand. As Brighton's manager hasn't invested in him, so maybe a change is best for all parties involved. He's not going to command a decent fee right now and if they set it as 60 million buy option, then the ball is in his court to prove he's worth it.
Ruined his career? So dramatic! Brighton have every right to ask for whatever they deem necessary, they do not NEED to sell nor do they need to sell at a price that benefits the buying club.
You make it sound like Brighton are at fault here.
Baleba was coming off the back of a decent season in 24/25. He was under a long-term contract and they didn't want to sell. Whether it's media speculation or reality, a club will put an unrealistically high fee on a player if they don't want to sell and benefit if someone is silly enough to pay it.
Baleba has "ruined" his own career. Although, I think he's still young enough to make it whatever he wants. Brighton still played him last season. It was Baleba who wasn't performing. Upset that he didn't get his dream move? Tough. Work hard and prove you're worth the investment. Don't down tools and cry about it. At the very least, it's weak mentality from Baleba, or he's actually just not that good.
Doubt this will happen as he does not seem to be Carrick's type of midfielder.
No, hopefully carrick prefers midfielders who are not totally shit at football
They did us a favour!!
He was never as good as some on here would believe.
Furthermore, so many people miss this - that was under Amorim, we play an entirely different formation and have a different way of playing.
One where he completely does not fit. Even if he regained some form.
Yeah feels like we might still try for Scott as the Real duo are now off table due to Rodri likely to join Barca
Scott would be no sense for the money being touted, which is around £80m. He is worth barely half. It’s the United + premier league + English tax they’ve added.
We wouldn't pay that
I said last year he'll be the next Evan Ferguson for Brighton. Bigger clubs show interest, Tony Bloom decides other clubs have to go all-in and sets some ridiculous price. Then he ends up losing form after and struggling for the season, then picks up an injury and losses form and another player starts to be preferred over him by the manager, so you send him out on mid-season loan to another English club because he's lost his spot but he's rubbish there, now no club will even pay 65-75m which is what you could have got easily. But still another player is preferred over him so his value will only decrease so you send him out on loan to Italy and even attach an option to buy for 34m because no one is even offering that. But he missed half the season because of an injury and the time he did play he didn't impress so the Italian club won't even pay 30m for him
So when they could have gotten 60-65m for him they can't even get 30m for now. They do well on transfers but Bloom has definitely over-played his hand with some players and lost out on over 100m. Ferguson and Baleba alone they'd be 100-130m richer. Now they probably won't even get 50m combined for them. They'll either have to sell them for dirt cheap a year out from their contracts or lose them on a free
It’s the game. Win some, lose some.
No one is paying a good fee for this lad. He’s average, playing for an average club, got hooked multiple rimes at half time, and kept out of the team by a 40 year old plodder.
Don’t want him anywhere near United.
Some people think he can complete some sort of quartet where we have skills and attributes to attack all types of opposition - but seem to forget only 2 midfielders can play.
I wouldn’t pick him ahead of Mainoo, Tielemans or Santos. So wouldn’t go near buying him. I’d consider him as a back up at £35m. That’s it.
Well exactly. That’s why we won’t go for him.
They don’t need to sell? They were convinced they’d win the league since they play the “‘most beautiful football in the galaxy” and are gods gift to the game. They missed out on Europe and need to invest in their squad, heavily. They also claim they won’t stop a player from leaving and told him he could leave and we offered good money for him. So, gotta disagree with you. I use to agree with that thought but found out about the promises of letting him go.
Yeah. He wanted to go and they told him they’d let him and they got a good bid
This is constantly my sentiment. The only thing is the defensive aspect of his game, that’s what we are missing
I would like to see us building a long term midfield trio to get ready when Bruno and Tielemans are done such as Mainoo - Santos - Wharton. This will be a great midfield 3 for future. I think we should try to sign Wharton either next season or in 2 years.
Baleba being linked to Newcastle
They have significant firepower now.
Wonder if this is agent shenanigans trying to push Utd into showing their hand. Cannot imagine going to Newcastle is much of a step up from Brighton right now such is the state of their club. New manager, loads of young inexperienced signings, lost 3 big players already, signing Baleba for big money goes against the transfer policy they seem to be pushing right now. Bit sceptical of this sudden link.
It's a strange one as he's injured, to which we don't know the extent apart from he's likely to miss the start of the season.
Journalist close to Brighton suggests the injury 'reduces' the chances of a transfer happening, whereas Romano has reported it's ended our interest.
Agent gets paid. Player gets paid more. Newcastle need bodies in midfield.
United aren’t interested. Makes sense.
Not a very good agent if it is as the story that's out is they're not pursuing him he's just on their list but wouldn't pay what Brighton want and he has the same agent as their new manager
Wouldn't be surprised if Newcastle agree a fee and then we swoop in.
My thinking exactly… then I thought what does that mean for Lewis Hall.
But then I thought… Ekitike & Isak.
Isn't he injured?
I wouldn't mind taking hall and letting them have a free run at Baleba
The story this has come from also says his injury may not be as bad as first thought
I absolutely believe last season was just a blip in his development, and that we'll come to regret not going for him this season. But I know purchasing him is a risk we simply can't take now
Didn’t read the detail.
It's a normal injury though, ankle ligament injury is just a sprained ankle.
I don't think an injury reduces the chance of a transfer unless it's a serious one. With Brighton, it's always going to be price, as it was before when we went for him.
I'd almost feel sorry for them if they got done like that again.
Baleba must be wounded. Really wanted to join us and then ends up at them.
Agree- I was all for this player’s profile, but seems to me his development trajectory is not one that can meet INEOS appetite to make this possible, even at a lowered price point.
That aside, he’d still be our most expensive signing (got to assume he’d still cost more than Santos did), so what do we do if he rediscovered his form? Bench Santos in favor of him, or rotate and hope they could all be one big happy family?
Off to the third midfielder signing thread.
Even at a discount he would be our most expensive midfidler and I think Santos, tielemans and Mainoo would all outperform him
I think defensively he would be way ahead of the others.
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