He’s better than Baleba: Man Utd in fresh talks to sign £34m “phenomenon”

Manchester United are on the hunt for midfielders, and who better to lead that pursuit than Michael Carrick, the Englishman having won a raft of major honours during a stellar 12-year playing career at Old Trafford.

Signed from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006, Carrick knows all about trying to fill the shoes of a legendary, veteran midfielder, inheriting Roy Keane’s number 16 shirt following the Irishman’s acrimonious exit a year earlier.

20 years on, Carrick – expected to be announced as the next permanent United boss – will play his part in overseeing a similar transition this summer, with the departure of a 34-year-old Casemiro set to leave a sizeable void to fill ahead of next season.

The nine-goal Brazilian bowed out on a high in last week’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, with work already underway amid the search to replace him.

Man Utd in fresh talks to sign £34m Casemiro replacement

Perhaps the most obvious candidate to slot in alongside Kobbie Mainoo would be Carlos Baleba, with a deal for the 22-year-old having already been explored in the summer of 2025.

Personal terms were agreed at the time, although Brighton and Hove Albion’s £100m plus asking price proved prohibitive, putting a pin in any late window deal.

The Cameroonian is back on the agenda by all accounts, amid talk of INEOS pursuing a pre-World Cup move, although further targets are also being lined up too.

Indeed, as per reports in Brazil – via SportWitness – United have made ‘fresh enquiries’ regarding a move for Botafogo star, Danilo, having made repeated contact regarding a deal for the 25-year-old.

Formerly of Nottingham Forest, the midfielder has revived his career back in his homeland and has since been named in Carlos Ancelotti’s World Cup squad, a move that could boost his profile even further.

Botafogo are hoping that proves the case, with the report indicating that they are looking for a fee of around €40m (£34m) this summer.

How Danilo compares to Baleba in Man Utd midfield search

Whether it is related or not, United’s interest in Baleba has been followed by a difficult season at the Amex, with the youngster struggling for consistency under Fabian Hurzeler.

He was notably substituted at half-time on three occasions in the first seven Premier League games of the campaign, while he’s started just 23 times so far ahead of Brighton’s final day meeting with United.

A spell out on international duty at AFCON has been a factor in that limited involvement, yet at a time when he could well have gone to a new level, the left-footer appears to have endured something of a regression.

As for Danilo, meanwhile, the Brazilian has recovered from an injury-hit end to his time at Forest to emerge as a star again for his current side, hailed as a “phenomenon” by experts in his homeland.

In just 12 league games in Brazil’s top-flight in 2026 so far, for instance, the £34m-rated sensation has already scored seven goals and registered two assists, proving such a box-crashing threat in his fluid number eight berth.

That attacking intent has also seen the left-footer create five ‘big chances’ and average 1.8 key passes per game, so often seeking that progressive, forward pass from deep.

At a time when Carrick and INEOS need to fill the shoes of Casemiro, such attacking quality is vital, with the ex-Real Madrid man on nine league goals for the campaign, creating four ‘big chances’ and averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

Such an end product has been distinctly lacking from Baleba’s game by comparison, it must be said, with the former Lille starlet yet to register a single goal or assist in the league in 2025/26.

He has also only created one ‘big chance’ and averages just 0.2 key passes per game, keeping things neat and tidy rather than looking to probe with an incisive, penetrative pass.

That was also the case last season too as Baleba again only averaged 0.6 key passes, created only three ‘big chances’ and registered just four goals and assists.

Danilo is no slouch out of possession too, averaging 5.2 ball recoveries per game, again ahead of Baleba’s average of just 3.3 this season.

With the South American previously making 62 appearances back in English football, registering ten goals and assists, it wouldn’t necessarily be too great a risk as far as INEOS are concerned, with Danilo potentially representing a bargain, Baleba upgrade this summer.