Carlos Baleba could miss six Man United games if £75m transfer is completed

Carlos Baleba could miss six Man United games if £75m transfer is completed

Manchester United transfer news as United's next transfer after Benjamin Sesko could leave Ruben Amorim short

Carlos Baleba is on Man United's radar (Image: 2024 Crystal Pix/MB Media)

Manchester United have reportedly identified Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba as their top midfield target.

‌

Reports on Wednesday claimed the Reds have contacted their Premier League rivals to learn the conditions of the possibility of a summer move. The Athletic has claimed that United have made their first move via intermediaries.

‌

United have signed two new attackers so far this summer and are gathering pace in their pursuit of adding a striker. Benjamin Sesko is understood to prefer a move to Old Trafford over Newcastle with United bidding €75million (£65.3m) plus €10m (£8.7m) in add-ons.

‌

A midfielder is expected to be prioritised by Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada once Sesko's move is completed. Whilst a deal for Baleba will be difficult, the 21-year-old midfielder is one of the most sought-after players in Europe.

However, just like Bryan Mbeumo, United will have to come to terms with the prospect of being without Baleba for up to six games later in the season if he joins Ruben Amorim's side.

Baleba, who is valued at €87m (£75.9m) by CIES Football Observatory, is expected to join Mbeumo and Andre Onana at the African Cup of Nations at the end of the year. The tournament kicks-off on December 21 and runs until January 18, 2026.

Article continues below

Carlos Baleba plays for Cameroon with Bryan Mbeumo and Andre Onana (Image: Getty Images)

Cameroon are in Group F alongside Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mozambique with fixtures on December 24, 28 and 31. If they reach the knockout stages via finishing first or second, they will play their last 16 clash on either January 6 or January 4.

It means that if Baleba is called-up, he will definitely miss the Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa, Newcastle and Wolves. Progress beyond that will see him be absent for the trip to Leeds United on January 3.

‌

He could also miss the double-header against Burnley and Manchester City on January 7 and January 17, depending on how far Cameroon go. Mbeumo, Onana, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui are all also likely to play at the tournament.

United fixtures Baleba could miss due to AFCON 2025

December 20th: Aston Villa (A)

December 27th: Newcastle (H)

‌

December 30th: Wolves (H)

January 3rd: Leeds United (A)

January 7th: Burnley (A)

‌

January 17th: Man City (H)

Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

‌

Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.

And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.

Article continues below

Click here to read article