(Credit: Getty Images/Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Sun 17 August 2025 11:43, UK

Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho’s futures must be resolved before Manchester United can bid again for Carlos Baleba, sources have told Football Insider.

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Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what sources have told him about Man United‘s pursuit of the Brighton midfielder.

Football Insider revealed on 16 August that Baleba’s £100million price tag could rise if he stays for another season at Brighton, who are happy to sell the Cameroonian for an even greater fee next summer.

Man United have shelled out close to £200m on the signings of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko this summer, and further big-money moves are unlikely without selling players first.

Marcus Rashford is the only member of Ruben Amorim’s “bomb squad” to be moved on so far with his loan to Barcelona, and Football Insider sources have said that Garnacho and Sancho could be next.

Sources have told Football Insider that permanent transfer fees for Sancho and Garnacho are needed in order to fund a move for Baleba, despite the former struggling to attract offers and Chelsea still weighing up a move for Garnacho.

Baleba would be a dream midfield signing for Manchester United (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Man United are open to the prospect of including Sancho in their bid to bring Baleba to Old Trafford, but it’s unlikely Brighton would be willing to take on the huge wage demands of the out-of-favour winger.

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Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke was asked about the current prospects of Man United signing Baleba this summer, and highlighted that their ‘bomb squad’ is proving to be an obstacle.

“United have already reached out through intermediaries to see if there’s any chance a deal can happen”, he told Football Insider.

“With the expense, the price tag, it looks a hard deal to do, and for United to have any chance of doing it they need to sell some players.

“They’ve gone out and spent big on those three new forwards, but they haven’t sold any of the ‘bomb squad’ as yet really.

“Marcus Rashford went out on loan, but Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho are all still there, so United need to bring in funds if they’re to make any more big moves in the transfer market.”

Ruben Amorim has a series of players on the transfer list at Old Trafford (Credit: Imago)

Antony and Tyrell Malacia complete Man United’s five-man ‘bomb squad’ currently barred from first-team training, but they’ve not provided Amorim with the headaches that Sancho and Garnacho have.

Football Insider revealed on 12 August that Chelsea want Man United to drop Garnacho’s price tag to £40m or below before submitting a bid for the winger, following his public fall-out with Amorim last term.

This comes after Chelsea chose to pay a penalty clause rather than sign Sancho permanently after last season’s loan deal, and as this summer’s transfer window nears its climax, it’s clear that Garnacho and Sancho’s exits from Old Trafford won’t come easily.
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