Manchester United Targets Baleba and Left-Back as Lewis-Skelly Deal Closes

Manchester United open their Premier League campaign at Saturday lunchtime away to newly promoted Hull City, but the real noise around Old Trafford still crackles around the transfer market.

One or more of the new faces could walk straight into Michael Carrick’s first XI at the MKM Stadium. Youri Tielemans, in from Aston Villa, and Andrey Santos, signed from Chelsea, are both pushing hard to start. Carrick, now confirmed as United’s permanent manager after steering the club back into the Champions League during his interim spell, suddenly has options in midfield – and he wants more.

Baleba first, left-back next

Carlos Baleba is the next piece United are trying to lock in. The deal is not over the line yet – there are “a few loose ends to tie up” – but the club expect the Lille midfielder to become their latest summer arrival.

Once that is done, the plan is clear: a left-back becomes priority and, crucially, would represent a fifth senior signing of the window.

Luke Shaw remains the undisputed first-choice on the left, but Champions League football changes the equation. United’s schedule will swell, the physical load will spike, and Carrick cannot afford to run Shaw into the ground. The recruitment team are working on short-term cover that can also grow into a long-term solution.

Lewis Hall is high on that list. So is Jorge Salinas. Alejandro Balde has also been mentioned around Old Trafford this week as United scour the market for the right profile.

The problem? Newcastle United are standing firm on Hall. Unless they soften their stance, United may be forced to wait or walk away. If that happens, one of the two Spaniards is expected to jump to the front of the queue.

United want depth. Carrick wants competition. The left side of defence is where those needs collide.

Arteta shuts down Lewis-Skelly talk

One name can be scrubbed from United’s wider wishlist.

Myles Lewis-Skelly, the highly rated Arsenal youngster, had been loosely linked with a move north, with Chelsea also mentioned as potential suitors. Any hope of a late-window swoop has been firmly shut down by Mikel Arteta.

The Arsenal manager was emphatic, insisting Lewis-Skelly will “100 per cent” still be at the Emirates Stadium when the window closes. That is about as clear as it gets.

Arteta then underlined exactly why Arsenal are digging their heels in, stressing the importance of academy products who feel a deep connection to the club and insisting those players must be “looked after in a really special way” and “protected” as assets.

For United, the message is blunt: look elsewhere. For Lewis-Skelly, the path is set in North London.

So as Carrick prepares for Hull and the return of Premier League football, the picture is sharp. Baleba is lined up, a left-back hunt is about to intensify, and one teenage target is off the table. The squad is taking shape – the question now is whether the final weeks of the window can turn a promising summer into a transformative one.