Manchester United have been given the green light to make huge money to sign one of their top transfer targets.
Man United worked hard to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleva in the summer, but it proved difficult to break through as the Seagulls refused to sell him for less than £120 million.
Ultimately, his contract with the Red Devils was closed at that point, but it was reported that Man United would return for him in the upcoming transfer window.
Manchester United give green light to formal bid for Carlos Baleva
In fact, Ruben Amorim and INEOS are reportedly making him their top transfer priority for 2026.
And it looks like there could be major progress in their pursuit, with reliable transfer sources sharing an exciting update on Monday night.
His sources say talks are currently taking place between Man United and Brighton, with the Red Devils given permission to make a formal bid for the player, which could be worth close to £90m.
He told X: “We have received official information that Manchester United and Brighton are in talks again for the transfer of Carlos Baleva. Manchester United’s owners are prepared to spend £90 million on the player.”
Carlos Baleva will instantly improve Manchester United’s midfield
Casemiro has been a key player in Ruben Amorim’s rebuild this season, but his long-term future at the club remains uncertain.
His current contract with the club expires in 2026, but no extension has yet been discussed.
Casemiro’s defensive profile is characterized by positional discipline and high efficiency in direct confrontations. He maintains an elite rate of 4.07 tackles per 90 minutes.
This, combined with an excellent success rate of 62.2% in ground duels, confirms his ability to act as a special positional barrier, maximizing its effectiveness when actively participating in static, physical duels.
Baleva, on the other hand, primarily operates as a defensive midfielder, and despite his short total playing time, he shows high defensive involvement overall.
He accumulated 41 total tackles and 26 total interceptions. Importantly, Valeva’s ball winnings are notable for the amount of recovery he does. He averages 6.7 ball recoveries per 90.
This figure is higher than any of Manchester United’s current midfielders, demonstrating a high work rate and excellent spatial awareness for secondary possession recovery.

