Manchester United Pursue Carlos Baleba for Summer Rebuild
Manchester United are pushing towards a third midfield signing of the summer, with a £60m bid lodged for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and growing expectation the Cameroon international will end up at Old Trafford.
United have tracked the 22-year-old for more than a year, first moving for him last summer when Brighton slapped a price tag in excess of £100m on their emerging midfielder. That figure scared off suitors then. A difficult season has changed the landscape now.
United’s latest offer sits at £60m, and the club are prepared to nudge that up by another £5m to get the deal over the line. After months of scouting and internal debate, they believe the fee now reflects value rather than desperation in a market that has spiralled in recent years.
If completed, Baleba would become the latest piece in a reshaped United midfield, a department that has been under scrutiny for its lack of control and athleticism in the biggest games.
Liverpool open door to Curtis Jones exit
While United buy, Liverpool may be about to sell. Talks are under way with Inter Milan over Curtis Jones, with the Italian champions reviving their interest in the academy product.
No agreement is in place yet, but negotiations are active as Inter step up their pursuit. Liverpool are thought likely to accept a fee in the region of €35m (£30m) for the 23-year-old, a significant sum for a homegrown player who has drifted in and out of the starting XI.
The potential departure has not slowed Liverpool’s recruitment drive. They remain keen on Bradley Barcola after cooling their interest in his PSG team‑mate Ibrahim Mbaye, recalibrating their attacking targets as the window develops and the market shifts around them.
Arsenal strike £51m deal for Konsa
At Arsenal, the focus is the back line. The club have agreed a deal worth around £51m with Aston Villa for Ezri Konsa, a move driven by Mikel Arteta’s determination to reinforce his defence.
William Saliba’s serious injury last season exposed Arsenal’s lack of depth in central defence, even with Jurrien Timber now returning to fitness. Arteta and his staff identified a right-sided centre-back as a priority as they attempt to defend their Premier League title and navigate another long campaign in Europe.
Konsa, 28, is expected to compete with Cristhian Mosquera as the main deputy for Saliba alongside Gabriel Magalhaes. The timing is sharp: he could make his debut against his former club Aston Villa as early as next week, a quick reunion that would underline how quickly Arsenal intend to integrate him into their plans.
Tottenham eye Marmoush and Savinho in attacking shake-up
Across north London, Tottenham are plotting a different kind of reinforcement. They are weighing moves for Omar Marmoush and Savinho, with the possibility of striking twice with Manchester City.
Savinho has been on Spurs’ radar for some time. The club seriously considered a £50m bid for the Brazilian winger last summer, only to hold back as other priorities emerged. That interest has not gone away.
Now Marmoush has entered the frame as well, with Roberto De Zerbi intent on reshaping his forward line. Tottenham narrowly avoided being dragged into serious trouble last season and De Zerbi is driving an ambitious and expensive overhaul of a squad that flirted too closely with the wrong end of the table.
Big clubs moving big money, key positions being rewritten, and one question hanging over the window: who will look back on these gambles as the moment their season truly turned?
