Wayne Rooney Backs Carlos Baleba's Move to Manchester United

Wayne Rooney has thrown his weight behind Carlos Baleba’s impending move to Manchester United, insisting the Brighton midfielder will transform Erik ten Hag’s side and dismissing claims he “went missing” after a failed switch to Old Trafford last season.

United are closing in on a deal worth up to £70 million for the 22-year-old, who is set to become their third midfield recruit of the summer after Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. Both of those signings started on Saturday – and both were part of a flat, disjointed display in a 2-0 defeat at newly promoted Hull that underlined just how much work remains in the centre of the pitch.

Rooney, speaking on the ‘Stick to United with Wayne Rooney’ podcast on Disney+, made it clear where he stands on Baleba.

“I really like him, I think he's a really good signing,” United’s all-time leading scorer said. “We need another midfield player with a bit of physicality and I know he's not six-foot-four or whatever but he covers the ground really well, he's aggressive, he takes the ball, and is what we need. He's a very good player who will improve the team massively.”

United’s need is obvious. Casemiro, once the heartbeat of their midfield, has gone. Manuel Ugarte, signed to bring bite and control, has suffered a serious knee injury. The rebuild in the middle of the pitch is no longer a long-term project; it’s an urgent repair job.

Baleba was on United’s radar a year ago, only for Brighton to reportedly slap a £100m price tag on him. The move never materialised. What followed on the south coast was a stuttering campaign: just 23 Premier League starts, no goals, and a narrative that he had disappeared when the big move slipped away.

Rooney rejects that storyline outright.

“I don't think he went missing,” he said. “The chance doesn't come around that often to play for Manchester United, so you don't know what effect that has.

“There's no denying his ability as a player. I think he is a top player.”

That faith feeds into a broader vision for United’s midfield. Tielemans, Santos and academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo are all jostling for roles. Baleba’s arrival would crank up the pressure another notch.

“It will be interesting with Tielemans, Santos and Mainoo but this is what it should be,” Rooney said. “Competition for places. If you don't play well, you don't play.”

For a United side exposed at Hull and still searching for authority in the middle of the pitch, Baleba now arrives not just as another signing, but as a test of whether this rebuild has any real bite.