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 have already moved decisively once the window opened, bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Two deals, two different profiles, both pointing to the same ambition: give Michael Carrick the tools to compete in the Champions League and mount a serious Premier League challenge.

But the third piece of the puzzle is proving harder to lock in.

Kone waits on Paris

Manu Kone has been high on United’s list for weeks. The AS Roma midfielder, fresh from an impressive 2026 World Cup with France, has been the subject of detailed talks and serious planning at Old Trafford.

TEAMtalk reported on July 9 that United were pushing for a deal, with Roma valuing the 25-year-old at around £50m. Italian outlets then went further, claiming personal terms between Kone and United were already agreed in principle, and that the club were readying a bid in the region of €50m (£42.6m, $57m).

Corriere dello Sport framed United as the leading contender, noting that discussions with the player’s camp were ongoing and that representative Andrea D’Amico was effectively waiting for the final green light from Manchester.

The number on the table is significant. Roma, though, are not convinced it will be enough.

Atletico Madrid, Al-Ahli and Chelsea have all been credited with interest, but the real complication has arrived from elsewhere. According to Il Tempo, relayed by SportWitness and RomaPress, Kone is now holding out for a call from Paris Saint-Germain, last season’s Ligue 1 and Champions League winners.

He has not closed the door on United. The reports are clear that he remains open to the move. Yet his priority is equally clear: he wants to see if Luis Enrique’s side step into the race.

So far, they have not. PSG have made no concrete move, no formal offer, no decisive push. But their shadow hangs over the deal. United can meet Roma’s price, they can satisfy the player’s demands, but they cannot offer the Parc des Princes badge.

For INEOS, it is a test of resolve and timing. Wait for Kone and risk being left exposed if PSG finally pick up the phone, or pivot before the market tightens.

They have already started to look elsewhere.

Baleba: the one they “absolutely love”

Carlos Baleba has never really left United’s radar. The Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder wanted the move last season, but the numbers turned the whole thing into a non-starter.

Brighton’s valuation went beyond £100m for the 22-year-old Cameroon international. United walked away.

The admiration, though, did not cool. TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Graeme Bailey reported on July 21 that Carrick and the recruitment team still see Baleba as an ideal fit for the holding role they want to strengthen.

“What I am hearing is they want someone who can really help them defensively,” Bailey 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.”

The gap is stark. United see a £50m player; Brighton see a centrepiece of their project, priced accordingly. That kind of distance does not close easily, particularly with Financial Fair Play scrutiny and other areas of the squad still to address.

Yet Baleba remains in the conversation. On July 23, Sky Sports confirmed that both he and Kone are “being strongly considered” by United as they weigh up how to complete their midfield rebuild.

A decisive call for INEOS

So United stand at a familiar crossroads: one target waiting for a superclub that has not yet moved, another locked behind a valuation they consider excessive.

Kone offers dynamism, ball-carrying and Champions League pedigree from his time in Italy and with France. Baleba brings power, defensive bite and long-term upside, but at a price that tests even United’s resources.

Carrick’s plan is clear. He wants a third midfielder who can anchor his structure, protect the back line and free his more creative players to dictate games at the highest level. INEOS have backed that vision with early, smart business.

Now comes the hard part. Do they push all-in on Kone and trust that PSG stay on the sidelines, or do they challenge Brighton’s stance on Baleba and risk being dragged into a drawn-out negotiation?

For a club determined to reassert itself in Europe and at home, the next midfielder through the door will say a lot about how serious this new era really is.