Manchester United have reportedly offered €70m (£60m) plus additional bonuses to Brighton & Hove Albion for midfielder Carlos Baleba, a move that would effectively end their pursuit of Roma‘s Manu Kone. The development comes as a relief to the Serie A club, who are anxious to retain their key midfielder ahead of the new season.
According to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, cited by Italian outlets, United are closing in on the Brighton midfielder. Should the deal proceed at the reported figures, United will have spent just shy of €170m on central midfield reinforcements during this transfer window, following the earlier arrivals of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea.
Roma’s position strengthens
The significant outlay makes a further investment in Kone highly improbable. Roma are understood to value the France international at €60m, a fee that would push United’s total midfield spending well beyond the €200m mark.
Kone has established himself as a mainstay in the Giallorossi midfield over the past two seasons and enhanced his reputation with performances for France at the 2026 World Cup. United had previously been strongly linked with the player, prompting concern in Rome that a lucrative departure was imminent.
However, with United now prioritising Baleba and no other concrete interest from European clubs currently reported, Roma’s chances of retaining Kone appear significantly improved. The Italian club remain hopeful of keeping the player unless an unexpected bid materialises before the window closes.