Manchester United are reportedly looking to bolster their midfield, having already invested around £210million this summer on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
The Red Devils are believed to be in for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Cameroon international just enjoyed a breakout season with the Seagulls, winning their Young Player of the Season award for 2024-25.
Reports have stated that Brighton will command a mammoth fee for the 21-year-old’s services, up to £105m. Baleba, meanwhile, is thought to be happy at the club and has three years remaining on his contract with an option to extend for a further 12 months.
United currently have Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in their ranks, while Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo can also be deployed in central midfield in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation.
But how does Baleba compare to these options? We’ve taken a look at the numbers below.
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Baleba’s journey
Born and raised in Cameroon, Baleba began his footballing career at local clubs Futur Soccer FC and the renowned Ecole de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun (EFBC) academy, where he caught the attention of European scouts.
In January 2022, Baleba took the next significant step in his career by joining French club Lille. Initially, he featured for the reserve side, but made his professional debut just months later in August 2022.
His performances at Lille didn’t go unnoticed, and in August 2023, Brighton secured his services in a deal worth around £25m. Since arriving on the south coast of England, Baleba has quickly adapted to the fast-paced nature of the Premier League, becoming a stalwart in Brighton’s midfield.
Baleba’s playstyle
Under Fabian Hurzeler, Baleba mainly operates on the right side of a double pivot in Brighton’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
One of the standout aspects of Baleba’s playstyle is his ability to balance both defensive solidity and attacking contribution. He has proven crucial in linking play for Brighton, often transitioning the ball from deep into attacking areas. He is comfortable carrying the ball forward and has an impressive passing range; operating as a No 6, his 65 long passes completed last season ranked ninth of any Premier League midfielder.
Baleba’s relentless work rate is evidenced by his defensive stats. Last season, he won 107 possessions in the middle third of the pitch – the fifth-most in the top flight – while making 212 aggressive recoveries – the third-most.
Baleba’s role in Hurzeler’s pressing system is also crucial. Brighton’s high pressing style demands that players engage opponents quickly, especially in midfield. Baleba excels in this department, having made the seventh-most interceptions per 90 (1.55) out of any Premier League midfielder last season, and the seventh-most successful blocked passes (36).
Baleba vs Man Utd midfielders
Baleba’s defensive numbers for Brighton last season stand out when compared to Man United’s midfielders, however there is still something to be desired when looking at his impact going forward.
Baleba had a strong presence in the midfield, averaging 6.8 duels won per 90. But this still ranks lower than Casemiro’s 8.5 and Ugarte’s 7.4. Looking at ground duel success, Baleba had a success rate of 54.61% – higher than Ugarte (53.11%), Mainoo (46.88%) and Fernandes (49.19%), but again lower than Casemiro (62.2%).
In terms of ball recoveries, Baleba averaged 6.7 per 90, higher than any United midfielder. The closest was Fernandes with 6.4. On the attacking end, Baleba averaged just 0.7 chances created per 90, and 10 forward passes per 90. Unsurprisingly, Fernandes led with 2.7 chances created and 21.1 forward passes per 90.
Finally, when comparing take-on success, Baleba had a very strong success rate of 62.26%. This is notable, especially when compared to United’s midfielders like Casemiro, whose take-on success rate was 50%. Mainoo (47.92%) and Fernandes (45.9%) had much lower success rates. Ugarte, meanwhile, logged the highest success rate – 64.29, perhaps due to lower volume.