Manchester United’s pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba is not dead in the water, according to a report by Dylan McBennett.

The Red Devils have already completed the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to bolster their midfield, as they move ahead with a major rebuild following the departure of Casemiro and the injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte.

But the club are yet to make a final decision on who the third midfield signing will be, with INEOS adamant they will not overpay in an expensive market. A number of names have been linked to Old Trafford, and Baleba remains a long-term target, which means no deal is dead at this stage.

Baleba Could Push for Man Utd Transfer

Baleba, who has been described as ‘world-class’, was a target for the Reds last summer, but Brighton’s £100m valuation put them off proceeding at the time.

The Cameroon international went on to have a difficult season, with many suggesting that the interest from Old Trafford had turned his head. It’s now understood that Brighton are open to a sale in this window if they get the right offer, with their asking price believed to have dropped to around £80m.

But United don’t value him at that price, and as a result have been looking at alternative options. However, it has now emerged that they have not made a final decision yet, and a move for Baleba is still considered to be a ‘very real possibility’.

In fact, the 22-year-old has even been tipped to potentially push for a move to go through, having already agreed personal terms with the club last year, and with fresh talks being opened earlier this week.

With no final decision made yet, United remain open to the possibility of signing Baleba in this window, and the situation remains one to keep a close eye on in the final weeks of the transfer window.

Baleba the Perfect Midfield Addition

via Reuters

Man Utd are looking to have more control of games in the coming season, and that means better ball retention in midfield. It also means they need to win the ball back quicker when they’re out of possession, and Baleba helps with all of that.

His attributes are exactly what the club are understood to be targeting, and he is at the perfect age to make the step up and continue to develop and improve. He also fits in perfectly alongside all of the current midfield options.

Brighton are known to be stern negotiators, but sometimes as the buying club you have to just pay the money to sign the player that your team needs, and this feels like one of those situations for Man Utd.

An update has landed on Leeds United pursuing a new striker, and it’s not good news for Daniel Farke.

The Peacocks are preparing for a second season in the Premier League and looking to strengthen their squad following a 14th-placed finish last season. Two new players have arrived thus far, with Harry Wilson joining as a free agent after leaving Fulham and Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic joining for £34 million.

A new forward is on the agenda, and several names have been linked with moves to Elland Road. They have been eyeing Muharemovic’s international teammate, Ermedin Demirovic, who has impressed in the Bundesliga with Stuttgart.

Leeds Chasing Stuttgart’s Demirovic

Demirovic is fresh off the back of representing his country at the World Cup, and he was a key man alongside Muharemovic. Leeds are seemingly keen to have the Bosnians link up under Farke.

Bosnian outlet Slobodna Bosna reports that the Peacocks are “very keen” on signing the 28-year-old and believe he fits the profile of a physically strong and experienced frontman. He has two years left on his contract with Stuttgart where he’s leading the line under Sebastian Hoeneß.

Demirovic, dubbed “superb” netted 12 goals in 25 Bundesliga games last season, helping his side qualify for next season’s Champions League. As such, he is said to be happy at the club and could be motivated to stay put ahead of playing in Europe’s elite club competition.

The Bosnian frontman is thought to be valued at around €22 million (£18.9m) which is a reasonable fee given his impressive form last season. It remains to be seen whether Farke can convince him to leave the German outfit and head to Elland Road.

Demirovic Could Thrive Under Farke

Moving for a striker from abroad often leads to either huge success or bitter disappointment. But Demirovic’s experience could help him adjust to life in the Premier League as he’s been on the move throughout his career.

It is noted that Stuttgart could find it difficult to turn down a “serious offer” for the player. Leeds won’t want to overpay though and the aforementioned fee is ideal, allowing Farke’s transfer chiefs to further strengthen the squad.

A new goalkeeper remains a priority following Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier’s exits, while a move for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles has taken twists and turns. The team are gearing up for the new season and the potential arrival of Demirovic could be a massive statement of intent.

Arsenal are being heavily linked with a move for Manchester City defender John Stones, but they ought to pivot to a different target instead.

The Gunners are exploring centre-back options on the market after William Saliba suffered a back injury during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. While an exact timeline for the 25-year-old’s absence has not been confirmed, there has been speculation suggesting he may not feature for Mikel Arteta’s team until December or January, with Arsnal’s update on the situation stating that he would be out for an “extended period”.

Ezri Konsa has emerged as a target for Andrea Berta, although Arsenal are reportedly unwilling to meet Aston Villa’s £60million valuation for the England international.

The North Londoners are instead said to be considering a shock move for Stones, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City at the end of last season.

Arsenal should not move for John Stones

Arsenal are in a precarious position regarding Saliba’s injury. The Frenchman will be back in action at some point next season, and at that point, whoever comes in to replace him in the short-term will become somewhat redundant in Arteta’s squad.

Thus, it’s easy to see the appeal of a short-term deal for Stones. The Manchester City man brings a wealth of experience, is still capable of playing at the highest level and is available for free.

On the surface, the 32-year-old is the perfect stop-gap solution to rotate in and out of Arteta’s side with Cristhian Mosquera.

That said, Stones has played just 20 Premier League matches over the last two seasons. He’s injury-prone himself, will command huge wages given it’ll be his final big contract and displayed signs of fragility defensively at the World Cup.

Arsenal should steer clear and sign a younger player who can be a more serious long-term option alongside Saliba and Mosquera.

Arsenal should sign Jon Martin instead

via Reuters

Arsenal have been loosely linked with a move for Real Sociedad’s Jon Martin, who would represent a significantly more astute signing than Stones and has been described as an ‘aerial duel monster‘ by football analyst Ben Mattinson.

The 20-year-old broke through into the Basque outfit’s first team in the 2024/25 season, and has since established himself as one of the brightest young centre-backs in La Liga.

Exceptionally composed in possession, Martin would help replace some of the outstanding ball-playing traits they’ll miss without Saliba. While certain aspects of his positional play defensively could still improve, the Spaniard is dominant in the air and aggressive enough physically for the Premier League.

The Gunners should be able to negotiate a reasonable fee for the player with Sociedad, given the two clubs have a close relationship, having agreed deals for the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Kieran Tierney and Nacho Monreal in the past.

It would be a much more sensible investment than signing an ageing John Stones to a lucrative short-term deal. However, Martin did recently put pen-to-paper on a new contract with La Real, which would make a deal even more difficult to get done this summer.