Scholes Sounds Alarm on Record Baleba Move
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has issued a stark warning to his former club, urging them to abandon their pursuit of Brighton's £100 million-rated midfielder Carlos Baleba. The caution from the Premier League icon comes as manager Ruben Amorim pushes to strengthen his midfield options when the January transfer window opens.
Amorim's Midfield Dilemma and United's Spending Concerns
New United boss Ruben Amorim is determined to sign a new midfielder after failing to secure his primary target in that position during the summer. The club had registered interest in Carlos Baleba but walked away from negotiations after Brighton demanded a staggering £100 million for the 21-year-old Cameroonian international.
United's reluctance stems from a conscious effort to avoid overspending in a single window, having already committed over £200 million last summer on acquisitions including Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Senne Lammens. Despite this financial prudence, Amorim has compiled an extensive list of midfield targets and is believed to be applying pressure on the Old Trafford hierarchy to revive their interest in Baleba.
The young midfielder enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season that established him among the world's most promising talents, though his form has dipped during the 2025-26 campaign, raising questions about his consistency at the highest level.
Scholes' Verdict: Quality Over Potential
Scholes has openly questioned whether Baleba possesses the necessary quality to justify such a massive investment and succeed at a club of United's stature. 'Quality-wise, is he quite there?' Scholes pondered during an appearance on Sky Sports. 'I think he's almost in a Caicedo type of way. He's done really well at Chelsea, don't get me wrong, but is that the type of player Manchester United need? I'm not sure.'
Instead of pursuing Baleba, Scholes would prefer to see United target two emerging Premier League talents: Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson. While acknowledging that all three players have their merits, Scholes expressed particular reservations about Baleba's suitability for United's specific needs.
'I'd probably say I'd go Wharton,' Scholes stated. 'I still don't think they're any of the Manchester United style midfield players, they're more the style of football these days. I just think Wharton's got a little bit more quality. That's tough saying that. I think he's got more quality than Baleba. Baleba's got more legs, so that evens itself out a little bit.'
Scholes expressed surprise at Anderson's development, noting: 'I really liked him when he was at Newcastle, but I thought he was more of an attacking player... He's come into that role for England and looks very accomplished, very stylish. Keeps the ball really well, will pass it forward as well.'
Mainoo's Frustrating Situation at Old Trafford
Amorim's determination to sign a new midfielder partly reflects his apparent lack of trust in Kobbie Mainoo, whose breakthrough season earned him a place in England's Euro 2024 squad and a start in the final against Spain at just 19 years old. However, the academy graduate has struggled for playing time under the new manager.
Scholes voiced his frustration at Mainoo's situation, saying: 'One of the most disappointing things for me is Kobbie Mainoo not being involved in this Manchester United team. We saw how good he was 18 months, two years ago, and for some reason it's not quite happened for him. The manager doesn't seem to quite fancy him, but we all know the qualities he has.'
The United legend suggested that Amorim might not trust Mainoo physically at this stage of his development, though he believes the youngster is 'more than capable of being that playmaker' in a midfield three – a formation United currently don't employ.
United's recent 1-0 home defeat to ten-man Everton ended an encouraging run of form, leaving the club 10th in the Premier League as they prepare for a challenging visit to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
