Sign in to your FootballFanCast account
Fulham’s Josh King in action with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba
Manchester United are now accelerating a deal to sign a “magnificent” midfielder, who has been identified as one of their priority targets ahead of the transfer deadline, according to a report.
Man Utd looking to sign midfielder after pulling plug on Baleba
Carlos Baleba emerged as one of Ruben Amorim’s top targets in central midfield, but Man United have now pulled the plug on a deal, given that it was set to be an extremely costly operation, and Brighton & Hove Albion are very reluctant to sell.
It is a shame that Baleba now seemingly won’t be heading to Old Trafford this summer, given that the 21-year-old is at a good age to be a long-term replacement for Casemiro, and received high praise from Alan Shearer last season.
West Ham United’s Niclas Fullkrug in action with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba
Speaking after Baleba impressed against Manchester City, Shearer said: “He was absolutely wonderful. He changed the tempo and performance on the front foot and defensively. They got the three points which they deserved.”
That said, there are still a number of other potential options on the shortlist, with INEOS believed to be particularly big fans of Adam Wharton.
However, according to a report from Spain, a different midfielder has now emerged as Man United’s priority target ahead of the transfer deadline, namely Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume, who is set to be available for the affordable fee of €25m to €35m (£22m – £30m).
Crucially, Agoume is said to be interested in a move to the Premier League, and United are now accelerating the deal, to ensure they secure his signature before another big European club enters the race.
The 23-year-old is emerging as the ideal addition to Amorim’s midfield, as his physicality and tactical awareness mean he should be able to adapt to life in the Premier League comfortably.
“Magnificent” Agoume could be ideal Baleba alternative
Former Sevilla boss Enrique Sanchez Flores has hailed the central midfielder in the past, describing him as “magnificent”, and there is every indication the Cameroon-born maestro could be an ideal alternative option to Baleba.
Most notably, the Sevilla star has outperformed the Brighton youngster across a range of key defensive metrics over the course of the past year.
Average per 90
Lucien Agoume
Carlos Baleba
Tackles
2.90
2.64
Interceptions
1.83
1.62
Clearances
1.96
1.48
Aerials won
1.66
1.29
Importantly, a deal for the 13-time France U21 international also wouldn’t break the bank, at around £30m, while there were suggestions that Brighton were looking to receive £115m for Baleba.
Should Man United pursue a move for Agoume, rather than the Brighton star, they should have money left over to strengthen other areas of the squad, and Amorim may be keen to sign a new goalkeeper, with Altay Bayindir receiving widespread criticism after the Arsenal defeat.
