With their sights set on a rising star, Manchester United are now reportedly making formal preparations to sign a replacement for Carlos Baleva, who has a release clause worth £74 million.
Ruben Amorim admits “I’m glad to hear” INEOS’ support
Returning to domestic action after the international break, Man United head to face Liverpool to defy the odds and sum up their rivals’ recent misery.
Victory would be Ruben Amorim’s first consecutive Premier League wins, and three points at Anfield would take the Portuguese manager’s side to their 11th league win in total.
While these statistics are undoubtedly terrible, the former Sporting CP manager maintains the support of INEOS, admitting in the pre-match press conference that he was “pleased to hear” the support.
“First of all, I feel it. It’s not just what people are talking about, but I feel it every day. And again, the pressure that I put on my team and myself is sometimes much more than on them. I know it’s going to take time, but I don’t want to think about it that way.”
“I said that last year too. But, of course, it’s really nice to hear those words again. I think it helps the fans understand that the leadership understands that it takes time. But at the same time, I don’t like it, because it gives the impression that we have time to figure things out.”
“So I don’t want to have those feelings for the club here. Again, the most important thing is the next game. It’s good to feel the support, but in football, especially in big clubs, you have to prove every weekend that you are ready to win games.”
That support is likely to continue into the January transfer window, with the Red Devils reportedly potentially eyeing a rising star in the middle of the park rather than Baleva, who has been linked with the club.
Fabrizio Romano says Amorim is personally very keen on the Brighton star and pushed for him to be brought to Old Trafford in the summer, and that link remains as the Red Devils pursue an “important” midfield signing for 2026.
Manchester United preparing to officially transfer Froholt
According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are currently preparing to officially sign Victor Fromholt from Porto in the January transfer window, with Romano and others commenting that signing Baleva mid-season would be extremely difficult.
The impressive teenager reportedly has a release clause of €85m (about £74m), but that hasn’t deterred INEOS, who are determined to strengthen Amorim’s squad.
Froholt, who was described by scout Jacek Kulig as “excellent,” has shown considerable improvement. He only joined Porto from Copenhagen this summer but is already attracting further interest. However, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to make the move from Portugal so quickly after his arrival.
Given United’s weakness in midfield, game time is unlikely to be an issue for the Danish player despite his young age, and United should press for his signature when the opportunity presents itself in 2026.
Froholt’s combination of youth, impressive form and physicality has caught United’s attention and he could be well-suited to the demands of the Premier League.
The teenager’s ability to break up play and quickly transition from defense to attack fits with United’s fast-paced football goals under Amorim, and Froholt’s release clause means there is even a way to avoid negotiations with Porto.
However, that would require a huge investment from INEO and could be a gamble considering his lack of experience.
