Currently, hopefully MU will successfully recruit Carlos Baleba is getting smaller when Brighton is determined to keep people. So if BaleBa is no longer feasible, who can turn to whom?
Amadou onana (Aston Villa)
Onana is probably the “BaleBa most like” plan. He used to watch MU before joining Villa from Everton for £ 50 million. The Belgian midfielder is a key factor to help coach Unai Emery bring Villa into the top 6, but the waistal injury in February.
Compared to BalaBa last season, Onana has an almost similar pass specification: 3.83 passes in the last 1/3 of the pitch every 90 minutes (BaleBa: 3.68). Even onana was better than the pass (4.17 compared to 3.99) and successfully driving the ball (70% compared to 57.9%).
BaleBa is superior to the ability to pull the ball and recover the ball in the middle. However, Onana won at the dispute rate (7.26 vs 6.71) and the ball switch (3.05 vs 2.66).
Morten Hjulmand (Sporting)
Hjulmand, 26, is Amorim's pet student and costs only half of BaleBa. His indicators are very impressive: 6.44 times to win the ball, 5.59 successful disputes, 8.39 passes in 1/3 at the end of the yard, 11.02 balls every 90 minutes.
If placed on the scale, BaleBa's figure is: 6.64 winning balls, 6.71 disputes, 5.32 pass on the last 1/3, 13.98 pulling ball. Obviously, Hjulmand is strong at the pass, strong Balea in the ball. This is a factor to consider when pairing with Bruno Fernandes.
Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham)
The 19 -year -old star who tried it at MU twice (2020, 2022) but missed the opportunity for human resource fluctuations. Joining Spurs from Djurgarden (Sweden) in 2024, Bergvall is emerging as one of the excellent central midfielders.
Bergvall's indicators include an average of 2.91 times the ball, 6.42 disputes, 4.93 passes in the last 1/3, 16.72 ball and 90 minutes. Nearly similar to BaleBa, even better than the ball and pull the ball.
Spurs used to valide for the first 44 million pounds in 2025, now certainly higher.
Mateus Fernandes (Southampton)
Unlike the above names, Fernandes is more accessible because of the Southampton jacket in the Championship. The parameters of the 21 -year -old midfielder include an average of 2.76 times the ball, 6.48 dispute phase, 12.38 times the ball, 4.59 passes successfully on the last 1/3 of the yard every 90 minutes.
Amorim coach himself also praised Fernandes, and felt regretful when his student parted Sporting in 2023. Not long ago, Southampton refused to propose a £ 30 million from West Ham for Fernandes, when he wanted about £ 50 million – the figure was completely in MU's payment capacity.
Felix Nmecha (Dortmund)
Nmecha is a former Man City talent, joining Dortmund in 2023 for £ 26 million. The 24 -year -old midfielder was strong in the ball with 7.03 successful passes on the last one -third of the yard, 3.34 successful passes every 90 minutes – the numbers surpassed BaleBa.
Even so, BaleBa was better in disputes, switches and pulling the ball. The minus point of Nmecha is that he has no experience in the Premier League, but MU has recruited Sesko from the Bundesliga, and Dortmund is ready to sell if the price is reasonable. Currently, Nmecha is priced more than £ 41 million.
The “homegrown” solution – Kobbie Mainoo
Can not ignore Kobbie Mainoo – a product of MU Young Academy. The 20 -year -old midfielder is very good at holding the ball, escaping pressing, bringing the ball out of the back line. His only weakness is the ability to clog the ball, but in fact the figure of 1.58 times every 90 minutes of Mainoo is no less than BaleBa (1.55). If Amorim believes and built the middle route around Mainoo, this may be a long -term solution for MU.
