Manchester United's manager, Ruben Amorim, is reportedly making a strong push for the club to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba this summer. Amorim views Baleba as a key piece in his system, believing that the Cameroonian's addition would significantly enhance United's control in midfield.

Baleba, 21, is considered a highly-rated, all-action defensive midfielder who could inject fresh energy and aggression into United's midfield. Amorim sees a defensive midfielder as "absolutely essential" to the team. Fabrizio Romano has described Baleba as Amorim's "dream" target for his midfield at Old Trafford. Should United succeed in signing Baleba, he would compete with Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Manuel Ugarte for a spot in the starting XI.

However, acquiring Baleba will likely depend on player sales, as Brighton are holding out for a substantial offer, reportedly over £100 million. Some reports suggest Brighton could demand up to £120 million. This figure would eclipse United's current incoming transfer record of £89.3 million, paid for Paul Pogba in 2016. If Manchester United pay that amount and sign Baleba, he will become the most expensive African player in history.

Brighton are under no pressure to sell Baleba, as his contract runs until 2028. The club has a reputation as firm negotiators, known for scouting and developing young players before selling them for significant profits.

According to The Telegraph, it is looking increasingly unlikely that Baleba will move to Man United this summer due to Brighton's asking price. It's claimed that United are currently unwilling to meet those demands after already spending over £200m to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. INEOS has identified Baleba as the ideal profile to add to Amorim's midfield, which is desperately missing an athletic presence alongside Bruno Fernandes. United's recent 15th-place finish and lack of European football also impose Financial Fair Play restrictions.

Despite the financial hurdles, reports indicate that Manchester United are preparing their first official bid for Carlos Baleba. Initially, the board was hesitant to pay such a high fee, but Amorim convinced them to proceed with an official bid. Some fans believe that Baleba's signing would propel United back among the Premier League's elite, citing Arsenal and Chelsea's high-profile acquisitions of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo as examples.

Alternatively, Manchester United are said to have other targets should a deal for Baleba fail to materialize.