Big upgrade on Baleba: INEOS preparing Man Utd move for £70m "monster"

Manchester United edged closer to finally winning five successive games in the Premier League when they won their third in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo scored two of the club's four goals in the game, whilst Casemiro got on the scoresheet and Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for United since his move from Wolves.

Interestingly, the Red Devils were up against a player they were reportedly willing to smash their club transfer record on, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

The Premier League giants were reportedly keen on a deal for the defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window, before INEOS decided against a big-money move for him.

Baleba, however, was substituted in the 59th minute of the match, having failed to provide any goals or assists, whilst Casemiro, his direct opponent, scored and provided an assist.

The Brighton midfielder's performance on Saturday, coupled with his displays throughout this season, may make the club think twice about any potential move for him in a future transfer window.

Why Man Utd may not make a move for Carlos Baleba

The left-footed star's drop-off in form from last season to the current campaign is cause for concern at Old Trafford, as it shows a lack of consistency in his game.

In the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, Baleba won 55% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 34 appearances in the Premier League for Brighton.

The 21-year-old midfield talent also scored three goals and provided one assist for his club, with his performances leading to interest from Manchester United in the summer.

Unfortunately, though, Baleba has been unable to kick on and continue his fine form on the pitch in the Premier League this season, after he did not get a move away from Brighton during the transfer window.

The United target's defensive numbers are down across the board through the opening nine matches of the 2025/26 campaign, which may be a red flag for the Red Devils recruitment department.

As you can see in the table above, Baleba's form has dropped off a cliff this term, from a defensive perspective, as he has gone from being dominant in duels to being dominated by opposition players.

This is why Ruben Amorim and INEOS may be hesitant to make a club-record move, of more than £89m, for the Brighton man in January or next summer, as his current performance level shows that he has not been consistently impressive.

Man Utd preparing move for LaLiga midfielder

According to a report in Spain, via Stretty News, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the upcoming January window.

The report claims that the Red Devils are preparing to make a move for the France international to bolster their options in the middle of the park next year.

It adds that the Premier League giants have made Camavinga a 'top priority' target and that they are prepared to offer around £70m to secure his signature from the Spanish side.

The outlet reveals, though, that Real Madrid are not in any rush to cash in on the former Rennes star, and that it would potentially take more than £70m to convince them to part ways with the midfielder.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be able to do enough to convince Real Madrid to sell Camavinga, or if they will be able to convince the player to make the move to Old Trafford, with no European football on offer this season.

Why Man Utd should sign Eduardo Camavinga

Manchester United should press ahead with a deal for the French central midfielder because he would be an upgrade on Baleba, as an even better signing for Amorim's midfield.

The left-footed star, who scored his first goal in the Champions League last month, provided a timely reminder of his quality in the El Clásico at the weekend, winning eight of his 12 duels and completing all three of his attempted dribbles in a 2-1 win over Barcelona, per Sofascore.

Camavinga, who has been utilised at left-back, centre-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield by Real, has shown more consistency and quality in his performances than Baleba over the past 365 days in all competitions.

The chart above shows that the France international has outperformed the Brighton star in a host of key midfield statistics both in and out of possession in the past year.

On top of that, the £70m-rated midfielder, who was described as a "duel-monster" by analyst Raj Chohan, has outperformed Baleba at league level so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, the Real Madrid star has been significantly more effective as a defensive presence in the middle of the park at league level this season, winning 1.2 more duels per game and winning a far higher percentage of his ground duels.

Perhaps the most telling statistic is their respective fouls made per game. Camavinga rarely trips up and has to foul opposition players, whilst Baleba is committing over one foul per match on average, which shows that he is losing duels and having to resort to fouls to break up play.

Overall, Camavinga appears to be the better option out of the two, as evidenced by both his form this season and over the past 365 days, as a defensive midfield signing for United in the January transfer window.

This is why INEOS should forget about a move for Baleba and concentrate their efforts on attempting to sign the Real Madrid midfielder next year.

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