- How could Carlos Baleba fit at Man Utd? We analyze his defensive impact, ball-carrying, and potential partnership with Andrey Santos under Carrick.
Manchester United has agreed to a deal worth £65m fixed + £5m add-ons, plus a sell-on clause with Brighton, to sign Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba, who has been monitored by Manchester United since last summer; he will sign a 5-year deal with the Red Devils in the coming days and is expected to be a key part of Carrick's side after his return from an ankle injury.
He will be the third signing of Manchester United in the midfield, following Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa with Premier League experience after the departure of Casemiro and the long-term injury of Ugarte.
Why did Manchester United want Baleba?
Following the arrival of Baleba, he could line up along with Andrey Santos in the double pivot in the 4-2-3-1 formation under Carrick, as these players could complement each other with their qualities. Santos brings excellent control in the midfield with a passing accuracy of 90.1% (via FotMob) along with defensive awareness and ball carrying as his key strengths, while Baleba could be a physical and energetic presence in the midfield who can effectively contribute defensively.
It doesn’t mean that Baleba lacks the qualities of a passer or ball progressor; those qualities of his are still raw considering his age and recent performances. Baleba brings a passing accuracy of 87.9% but shows world-class quality in duels by excelling in ground duels with 50% and aerial duels with 58.0%, even in an underwhelming season for himself with Brighton.
Baleba can carry the ball into attack with excellent acceleration and physical strength, but his tendency to make forced runs sometimes leads to losing possession, an area he needs to improve under Carrick.
His qualities with the ball need to improve, while his defensive work and physical strength are still at top level and could help Manchester United immediately when he is available; he contributed an average of 6.04 defensive actions, 6.64 recoveries, and 1.45 clearances per 90 in 2024-25, which attracted him as a long-term midfield solution for United.
How could Baleba fit alongside Andrey Santos?
Baleba and Santos could form a well-balanced partnership in a double pivot. Santos can help United move the ball forward and link defense with attack, while Baleba's physicality, defensive work, and ability to cover ground could give the midfield more security. That could also allow Bruno Fernandes and United's other attacking players to play with more freedom in the final third.
Can Baleba help United improve on last season?
Baleba is unlikely to solve every problem in United's midfield immediately, particularly while he continues to develop his decision-making in possession. But his physical presence, defensive work and ability to carry the ball give Carrick another profile that was missing from the squad