Brighton & Hove Albion have accepted a £70million offer from Manchester United for Carlos Baleba, with the Premier League club increasing their opening bid by £5million.
The Cameroon midfielder, aged 22, is expected to commit to a five-year deal at Old Trafford. Former top-flight striker Tony Cascarino suggested the youngster would restore the kind of industry and pressing ability that characterised United’s displays during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.
Sources indicate the Seagulls were delighted with the transfer structure, particularly given their firm stance last summer when they insisted on receiving more than the £115million Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo – a British transfer record.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Cascarino outlined what he expected from Baleba, noting the player’s capacity for covering ground, maintaining high tempo and winning back possession.
The ex-forward, who faced United nine times across spells with Millwall, Aston Villa and Chelsea, managed only one victory against them and never won at their home ground. He was also on the losing side in the 1994 FA Cup final, which ended 4-0.
Cascarino dissected United’s recent 2-0 loss to Hull, questioning the fitness levels within the squad and pointing out that midfielders Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos struggled to match the pace of the game. He suggested Bruno Fernandes, while talented, had disappeared during the contest and that the rest of the team had been outrun.
The pundit acknowledged United’s fanbase had experienced a sobering moment but expressed confidence that manager Michael Carrick would address the issues, particularly once injured players returned to action.