Manchester United are preparing late transfer bids for Barcelona's Alejandro Balde and Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga. This comes after the club officially sealed their third midfield signing of the summer, Carlos Baleba from Brighton.
The club is reportedly readying a €30 million offer for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde. The 22-year-old La Masia graduate is seen as a solution for United's search for a left-sided fullback. Barcelona are said to be ready to let him leave, and United have already held talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes. They believe the proposed fee could tempt the Catalan club to sell.
Simultaneously, United are exploring a move for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. The reported interest emerges amid uncertainty over his role under new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. However, Camavinga himself is said to be ready to fight for his place and does not want to leave the Spanish capital. A move for Newcastle's Lewis Hall, another linked defender, is considered unlikely due to high fee demands.
Carlos Baleba's arrival from Brighton completes a significant midfield overhaul for Manchester United this summer. He joins earlier signings Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. The Cameroonian midfielder becomes the third piece of that rebuild.
Club legend Wayne Rooney publicly backed the signing on the Stick To United podcast. "I really like him (Baleba), I think he’s a really good signing," Rooney said. "He covers the ground really well, he’s aggressive, he takes the ball, and is what we need." Rooney also highlighted the increased competition, mentioning Tielemans, Santos, and Kobbie Mainoo. "It will be interesting with (Youri) Tielemans, (Andrey) Santos and (Kobbie) Mainoo, but this is what it should be. Competition for places," he added.
These transfer moves unfold as Manchester United seek to improve their early season form. After one game, they sit 16th in the Premier League with 0 points, having lost their opening match. They have scored 0 goals and conceded 2, leaving them with a -2 goal difference. The defeat leaves them already 3 points behind early leaders Brighton.
The immediate focus now shifts to correcting that form on the pitch. Their next opportunity comes quickly with a home match against Ipswich Town on August 30th. Ipswich currently sit 8th in the table, making it a key early test for Erik ten Hag's side as they look to climb the standings.
The success of these late bids for Balde and Camavinga remains uncertain. United's activity suggests they are pushing to address specific squad gaps before the window closes. Securing Balde would provide a long-term option at left-back, while Camavinga would add further elite competition in midfield. Whether the reported fees and player willingness align will determine the outcome. The club's recruitment team, having already invested in the midfield, is now testing the market for defensive and further midfield reinforcements. All this occurs against the backdrop of needing a swift turnaround in results, starting with the Ipswich fixture.
