Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Wed 13 August 2025 21:31, UK

Man United may now attempt to kill two birds with one stone by including Jadon Sancho in a deal for Brighton star Carlos Baleba.

Jadon Sancho sends one-word Bruno Fernandes message after Man United exit decision	Leon Bailey's Aston Villa future 'depends on the outcome of Jadon Sancho saga'	Man United players contact Carlos Baleba over Brighton exit

The 25-year-old winger is one member of Ruben Amorim’s “bomb squad” at Old Trafford, alongside Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, and now, United’s exit-linked Rasmus Hojlund.

Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko have all arrived as part of the manager’s rebuild, but the Red Devils do not appear to be done ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Mick Brown told Football Insider that Baleba would be open to joining Man United, but with various price tags being floated around, finances appear to be the biggest problem.

Amorim will want to strengthen his midfield (Credit: Imago)

While Kobbi Mainoo is expected to stay at Old Trafford after winning over Amorim this summer, he continues to try and rebuild all aspects of the squad, and could look to use a swap deal for his next target.

According to The Independent (13 August), the Seagulls want £120m if they are to sell Baleba, with owner Tony Bloom relatively unmoved by prices around the 21-year-old midfielder.

It is understood that the United hierarchy are attempting to figure out how to construct an offer, one consideration being an initial £80m bid with the rest made up of add-ons.

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There is reportedly also a will to include Sancho in the deal to sweeten the pot, but it is not seen as very likely that Brighton will accept that offer.

Football Insider verdict

A £120m move for Baleba would make him the most expensive signing in Premier League history, just weeks after Liverpool’s £116m move for Florian Wirtz [BBC Sport].

There are certainly no doubts over the 21-year-old’s abilities at either end of the pitch, crunching into tackles while also notching four goals and two assists across all competitions last season.

It remains to be seen whether any club can afford a deal, so a player swap seems like the smartest play for the Red Devils, but it needs to be a player other than Sancho.

Jadon Sancho’s stats in the 2024/25 season.

(Credit: Imago)

The former Borussia Dortmund man has failed to settle in at the Theatre of Light, spending last season on loan with Chelsea, where he notched five goals and eight assists in 41 appearances.

While those are good contributions from a loan player, he clearly failed to impress Enzo Maresca enough to trigger a permanent deal, leaving United with another problem to solve.

The Red Devils are clearly desperate to get the winger off the books, but throwing him carelessly into a deal for Baleba is unlikely to change Bloom’s mind at the Amex Stadium.

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