Are Manchester United back on track? It’s probably too early to make such definitive claims, but it’s hard not to notice signs of success now that Ruben Amorim has built a five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.
However, it was refreshing to see the Portuguese manager speak candidly after the recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Amorim understands that although progress has been made in recent months, there is still much work to be done.
While the likes of Brian Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have rebuilt the Red Devils’ frontline for the better, there is no doubt that problems remain in the center of the field, even with Casemiro back and captain Bruno Fernandes in good form.
Manchester United midfielder search
INEOS and Manchester United’s recruitment team have admitted that the midfield needs some rebuilding, with Bruno and Casemiro now in their 30s and Coby Mainu out of form.
One welcome change in recent months has been the emphasis on adding proven quality in the Premier League. Mbeumo and Cunha are proof of this. Now we need to apply the same logic to the center as well.
There are a number of possibilities, but the most buzz has centered around England star Elliott Anderson, with Nottingham Forest putting an exorbitant £100m price tag on their prized star’s name.
However, United are prepared to wait until 2026 and could instead move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleva, who had their eye on the Cameroonian talent last summer.
According to GIVEMESPORT and Fabrizio Romano, Old Trafford’s director of football Jason Wilcox has had positive discussions with the young midfielder. However, Brighton appear to have doubled his £115m valuation.
Importantly, Baleva is “very keen” to jump at the chance to sign Amorim, so a deal could certainly happen next year.
Why Manchester United want Carlos Baleva
Man United have been in need of a mobile central midfielder for some time and Baleva could be the perfect signing.
The Brighton star is in his third season in the Premier League and hasn’t hit his stride since the summer, perhaps as a reaction to United’s failed attempt to lure him away from Fabian Hürzeler’s side in August.
The 5ft 11 star, hailed by analyst Joao Miguel as a “transition monster” who would “consume hectares of space for lunch”, will probably fit the way Amorim wants to play better than Anderson, who is firmly entrenched in Forest’s brand of counter-pressing football.
Anderson may be more mobile and energetic in the game, but Baleva’s combination of tough-tackling defense and ball-playing qualities make him the perfect replacement and a player who could even surpass the Englishman.
Although United have made great progress in recent months, they are still an imperfect team. Easily catching up to the breaks and lacking physicality, xGA data reveals that Amorim’s team is statistically one of the most porous in the division.
Premier League 25/26 – Highest xGA total | ||
|---|---|---|
club | Number of goals conceded | xGA |
burnley | twenty two | 23.4 |
Nottom Forest | 20 | 16.6 |
man united | 18 | 16.4 |
west ham | twenty three | 16.3 |
wolf | twenty five | 16.0 |
Data via FBref | ||
Expected goals conceded (xGA) is the number of goals a team is expected to concede based on the quality and quantity of shots they face.
Valeva’s strength and ground-covering presence should alleviate this problem a bit and add the fresh legs needed to keep Bruno on his A-game. This positive chain reaction will also spread to the forwards, who have already shown promise.
Both players will be a credit to Man United’s project, with Anderson emerging as a talented midfielder. However, Baleva is keen to move to Manchester and the club have comprehensively profiled his style and powerful, athletic approach, so he could emerge as a candidate.
