Manchester United's Midfield Rebuild Faces Challenges with Kone and Baleba

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild has hit its first snag of the summer – and it comes from Paris.

INEOS’ new regime at Old Trafford has moved quickly, bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Two smart, early deals. Two pieces of a bigger plan. Michael Carrick wants three, though, and the third signing is proving far more complicated.

Kone waits for Paris

For weeks, Manu Kone has looked like the preferred option. TEAMtalk revealed on July 9 that United were pushing hard for the AS Roma midfielder, fresh from an impressive 2026 World Cup with France. Roma’s stance was clear: £50m or nothing.

Italian reports then cranked up the noise. Corriere dello Sport detailed that United had opened serious talks, that discussions with the player’s camp were active, and that an agreement in principle over personal terms was already in place. The Premier League side were said to be preparing a bid close to €50m (£42.6m, $57m).

“Manchester United remains the club with the most potential for the deal at the moment,” the report stated, while warning that the fee on the table “may not be enough.”

Atletico Madrid, Al-Ahli and Chelsea have all been linked, but United have consistently been painted as the most advanced suitors.

Then came the twist.

Il Tempo reported on Friday that Kone is holding out for Paris Saint-Germain. The 25-year-old, according to their print edition, has made it clear he is open to joining United. He has not closed that door. He is simply staring at another one.

The one with the PSG crest on it.

SportWitness and RomaPress have echoed the story: Kone is waiting for a call from last season’s Ligue 1 and Champions League winners. As of now, Luis Enrique’s side have not made a concrete move. No bid, no formal push – only the weight of their name and the possibility of a homecoming to French football’s dominant force.

So United sit in an awkward position. The groundwork is done, the numbers are roughly aligned, the player is receptive. But the decisive green light from Kone depends on whether PSG decide to step into the race or stay out of it entirely.

For a club trying to accelerate their rebuild, it is an uncomfortable pause.

Baleba: the other obsession

United, though, have learned the hard way not to bet everything on one target.

Behind the Kone pursuit runs another long-standing fascination: Carlos Baleba. The Brighton midfielder has been on United’s radar for more than a year and, crucially, wanted the move last season.

The problem then was Brighton’s price tag. The Seagulls valued the Cameroon international at more than £100m, a figure that instantly killed any realistic prospect of a deal. United walked away.

The admiration never really faded.

TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Graeme Bailey explained on July 21 how Baleba still fits the profile Carrick and INEOS are chasing.

“What I am hearing is they want someone who can really help them defensively,” he said. “In an ideal world they’d just sign Carlos Baleba. They absolutely love his game.

“Yes, he didn’t have his best season, but they still believe he’d be an outstanding fit for Manchester United.

“United believe Baleba is worth somewhere around the £50m mark, especially after what they considered an inconsistent campaign.

“Brighton couldn’t disagree more.

“Even before Elliot Anderson became the most expensive British player ever (now surpassed by Morgan Rogers),

“Brighton were talking about figures well north of £75m and closer to £100m.

“That immediately puts him outside United’s thinking.”

Those numbers tell their own story. United see a £50m player. Brighton see a cornerstone of their project, priced accordingly. The gap is enormous.

Sky Sports reported on July 23 that both Baleba and Kone are “strongly considered” options for United. On paper, that gives Carrick two high-level solutions. In reality, one is waiting for PSG and the other is locked behind Brighton’s valuation.

A decisive call ahead

INEOS’ first full summer in charge was never going to be simple, but the midfield puzzle is already shaping the tone of their project.

Santos and Tielemans give United depth and variety. The third signing is supposed to give them something else: control, bite, and Champions League-level authority in the middle of the pitch.

Kone offers that. So does Baleba. Both come at a cost – one financial, one strategic.

United must now decide whether to push Roma harder while Kone waits on PSG, test Brighton’s resolve again over Baleba, or pivot to a new name entirely.

The clock is ticking. How bold are INEOS prepared to be to deliver Carrick the midfielder who can change the tempo of their season?