Roy Keane believes Manchester United could have a much stronger midfield if they complete a deal for Carlos Baleba, but he does not think it would be enough to turn them into Premier League title contenders.
Manchester United have already made major changes in midfield this summer. Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea for around £48 million, while Youri Tielemans joined from Aston Villa after United activated his £35m release clause.
Carlos Baleba is now the club’s next target, with Manchester United reportedly pushing towards a deal worth around £65m for the Brighton midfielder.
On paper, it would give Michael Carrick plenty of options in the middle of the pitch. But Roy Keane believes there is still a much bigger concern elsewhere in the squad.
Manchester United needs defensive reinforcements
“If you’re on about winning the league, they’re still short,” Keane said on Stick to Football.
“United’s big problems are going to be defensively. Midfield and forwards, there’s a big goal threat, but the issue is at the back.
“The full-backs and two centre-halves… still a big issue.”
It is difficult to dismiss Keane’s argument. Manchester United have invested heavily in their attack over the past year, spending close to £200m on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Their midfield is now also being rebuilt, with Santos and Tielemans already through the door and Baleba potentially following.
The defence, however, has not received the same level of attention.
United still have questions over their full-back positions, while Lisandro Martinez’s fitness remains a concern and Harry Maguire is now entering the later stages of his career. Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven have shown encouraging signs, but expecting two young defenders to immediately become the foundation of a title-winning defence would be a major ask.
Youri Tielemans won’t win Manchester United the Premier League
Keane also played down the idea that Tielemans alone could take United to the next level.
“I think he’s a good player. But I don’t think it wins the league,” he said.
The former United captain described the Belgian as a “safety bet”, pointing to his Premier League experience and reliability. Tielemans should certainly improve Carrick’s options, but Keane’s point is that signing good players is not necessarily the same as building a championship-winning team.
Baleba could strengthen Manchester United considerably, particularly when it comes to protecting the defence and recovering possession. But if Keane is right, United’s summer recruitment cannot stop there.
For a club hoping to challenge at the top again, the next question may not be who they add in midfield, but whether they can finally sort out the problems behind it.
