Latest news with #Baleba
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Only one name' – Rio Ferdinand tells Ruben Amorim to forget Sesko and names Prem star Man Utd must ‘break the bank' for
RIO FERDINAND has told Ruben Amorim to ditch plans for a striker and instead break the bank for Brighton's rising star Carlos Baleba. The former Manchester United legend believes his old club should focus on shoring up their midfield rather than splashing out on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko . 5 Rio Ferdinand thinks there is a clever way United can use their money and get goals in the team Credit: Alamy 5 United have already signed Cunha and Mbeumo but they're not true number 9s Credit: Getty 5 Ferdinand thinks Baleba has everything to be an absolute super star Credit: Rex Despite the Slovenian striker being linked with a move to Old Trafford and sparking interest from With United's frontline struggling last season – Rasmus Højlund and The Red Devils have already invested heavily in attack, bringing in But neither Cunha nor Mbeumo play as a traditional No 9, leading many to question whether Sesko would be the right fit. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS Ferdinand isn't sold on the idea of spending big on the young forward who are not Premier League proven. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 46-year-old said: "I'm not really doubting [Sesko] as a player. I'm saying Man United need experience at the top of the pitch. "They've got Hojlund, Zirkzee, and Chido – they're young and inexperienced. "They need someone who can show them how to lead the line at the highest level. Most read in Football BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "Do we really want to gamble on a player who's still raw?" Instead of Sesko, Ferdinand's attention has turned to the engine room, with the former defender tipping Baleba as the perfect fit for the Premier League giants. On the Cameroonian midfielder who "If it were me, I'd splash the cash on Baleba. "He's got the energy, the legs, the tactical awareness – everything you need to dominate midfield.' The 21-year-old Cameroonian midfielder was a key figure in Brighton's midfield last season, making 34 appearances after joining the Seagulls from Lille for £26 million. His all-action style and ability to drive the ball forward have made him one of the most exciting young talents in the league. Ferdinand continued: 'Baleba is exactly what United need – a box-to-box "He's got Premier League experience, and he'll free up other midfielders to focus on attacking. He'll have a massive impact on this squad.' 5 5 United manager Amorim is under pressure to improve on last season's 15th-place finish Credit: Getty Given Baleba's impressive rise, Ferdinand believes United should go all in to secure him, rather than risk spending big on an unproven forward like Sesko. He added: ' If I've got the money, I'm going for Baleba every day of the week." United are currently in the U.S where their continuing their pre-season games with one interesting game against There is an injury boost update in the team after goalkeeper Andre Onana who picked up an injury just after returning from his holidays responding to treatmnet and likely to return sooner than later.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘Only one name' – Rio Ferdinand tells Ruben Amorim to forget Sesko and names Prem star Man Utd must ‘break the bank' for
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RIO FERDINAND has told Ruben Amorim to ditch plans for a striker and instead break the bank for Brighton's rising star Carlos Baleba. The former Manchester United legend believes his old club should focus on shoring up their midfield rather than splashing out on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Rio Ferdinand thinks there is a clever way United can use their money and get goals in the team Credit: Alamy 5 United have already signed Cunha and Mbeumo but they're not true number 9s Credit: Getty 5 Ferdinand thinks Baleba has everything to be an absolute super star Credit: Rex Despite the Slovenian striker being linked with a move to Old Trafford and sparking interest from Arsenal and Newcastle, Ferdinand reckons the money would be better spent elsewhere. With United's frontline struggling last season – Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee managing just seven Premier League goals between them. The Red Devils have already invested heavily in attack, bringing in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for a combined £133.5 million. But neither Cunha nor Mbeumo play as a traditional No 9, leading many to question whether Sesko would be the right fit. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS NOU START Marcus Rashford back with ex-fiancee Lucia Loi as she joins him in Barcelona Ferdinand isn't sold on the idea of spending big on the young forward who are not Premier League proven. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 46-year-old said: "I'm not really doubting [Sesko] as a player. I'm saying Man United need experience at the top of the pitch. "They've got Hojlund, Zirkzee, and Chido – they're young and inexperienced. "They need someone who can show them how to lead the line at the highest level. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "Do we really want to gamble on a player who's still raw?" Instead of Sesko, Ferdinand's attention has turned to the engine room, with the former defender tipping Baleba as the perfect fit for the Premier League giants. On the Cameroonian midfielder who exclusively told the Sun that he wanted to win the Ballon D'or, Ferdinand said: 'There's only one name I'm thinking about, I've got to be honest, who I think fits the bill for what we need. "If it were me, I'd splash the cash on Baleba. "He's got the energy, the legs, the tactical awareness – everything you need to dominate midfield.' The 21-year-old Cameroonian midfielder was a key figure in Brighton's midfield last season, making 34 appearances after joining the Seagulls from Lille for £26 million. His all-action style and ability to drive the ball forward have made him one of the most exciting young talents in the league. Ferdinand continued: 'Baleba is exactly what United need – a box-to-box dynamo who can do it all. "He's got Premier League experience, and he'll free up other midfielders to focus on attacking. He'll have a massive impact on this squad.' 5 5 United manager Amorim is under pressure to improve on last season's 15th-place finish Credit: Getty Given Baleba's impressive rise, Ferdinand believes United should go all in to secure him, rather than risk spending big on an unproven forward like Sesko. He added: 'If I've got the money, I'm going for Baleba every day of the week." United are currently in the U.S where their continuing their pre-season games with one interesting game against West Ham coming. Ruben Amorim will hope they can get their first win after the 0-0 draw against Leeds United last week in Stockholm. There is an injury boost update in the team after goalkeeper Andre Onana who picked up an injury just after returning from his holidays responding to treatmnet and likely to return sooner than later.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Rio Ferdinand thinks Man Utd should dodge Benjamin Sesko and sign Brighton star instead
Manchester United have been told to avoid a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko by club legend Rio Ferdinand, who has suggested alternative targets Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has advised the club to avoid RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko in their quest for a new striker. The Red Devils have already secured the services of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer to bolster their attack. Last season, Ruben Amorim's team lacked a reliable goalscorer, with Amad and Bruno Fernandes leading the scoring charts with a mere eight league goals each. United have been linked with a move for Sesko as the club attempt to improve their striking options. The 22-year-old, who has also been on Arsenal's radar, scored 21 goals across all competitions last term. Yet, Ferdinand has warned United that they need a more experienced forward than Sesko. "I think you've got to look at the here and now at the moment with Man United. That's what I said about a number nine," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. "I'm not really doubting [Sesko] as a player. I'm saying Man United need experience at the top of the pitch. "They've got Hojlund, they've got Zirkzee, they've got Chido. Young, inexperienced players. They need someone to look at and go, 'That's how you play as a number nine.' That's how you do it. When you're going to buy somebody who hasn't got as much experience as I'd like, I think that's another risk. Is it worth taking with inexperienced players at this level?". Ferdinand has hinted that Ollie Watkins, who is on United's radar, could be the perfect fit due to the Aston Villa striker's Premier League pedigree. While Ferdinand has emphasised the need for a new striker, the former defender confessed he'd be willing for United to overlook a forward in favour of splashing out on Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. "If I don't get a striker, I'd go midfield. There's only one name I'm thinking about, I've got to be honest, who I think fits the bill for what we need," Ferdinand explained. "An Amorim-type player as well. Physically great, can drive with the ball, can take it in all areas, very good tactically, great energy, great legs, Premier League experience, centre midfield. Baleba. "That's who I go and get. That's my man. That's the one I go and get. I go and break the bank. So if I got the money for the four players that are surplus to requirements now, would I get a number nine or would I get Baleba? "Would I get a number nine I'm not sure about, who's a bit young, inexperienced, or would I get Baleba with Premier League experience and know what he can do here? I'm going Baleba, sorry. "I'm going to go with Baleba. I think he'll have a huge impact on this squad, on this team. You free up a few people in that midfield area as well to have a little less responsibility defensively because I think he's all-action. He can do it all." Baleba was signed by Brighton from Lille for approximately £26million (€30m) in 2023. The young midfielder, aged 21, made 34 appearances in the league for the Seagulls last season. Meanwhile, United's current striking options, consisting of Rasmus Hojlund, Josha Zikzee and highly-rated prospect Chido Obi, managed to score a total of seven league goals last season. United are hoping to boost their transfer budget through the potential sales of Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia, who have all been omitted from the club's US pre-season tour.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Man Utd legend urges club to sign Premier League star with 'huge impact'
Manchester United have signed two of their top targets in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. The club has now turned its attention to signing a striker, but United legend Rio Ferdinand has urged the club to sign a midfielder, one who has Premier League experience. Who does Ferdinand want United to sign? On on his podcast Rio Ferdinand Presents, the club legend said, " Would I be happy with Manchester United going into the season as we are now? No. "I want one more, I'm being greedy. I want a striker, and if I don't get a striker, I'd go midfield." United are one short on midfielders after the departure of Christian Eriksen this summer. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp The club has been linked with several replacements, but Ferdinand has a different option in mind that could cost the club more. He continued, " You're probably thinking, 'Who would you go and get?', and there's only one name I'm thinking about, I'm going to be honest, guys, who I think fits the bill for what we need. "He's an Amorim-type player as well. Physically, he's great. He can drive with the ball, he can take it in all areas, very good tactically, great energy, great legs, Premier League experience, central midfield… [Carlos] Baleba. "That's who I would go and get, that's the one I would go and get. I'd go and break the bank. If I got the money for the four players that are surplus to requirements now, would I go and get a number nine, or would I go and get Baleba? " Would I get a number nine I'm not sure about, who is a bit young, inexperienced, or would I get Baleba, who has Premier League experience? I'm going Baleba. "That's who I'd get, I think he would have a huge impact on this squad and on this team." Manchester United news and related links Man Utd outcast receives shock interest from Serie A Aston Villa makes stance clear on English forward amid interest from Man United The 5 games that could define Manchester United's 2025/26 season
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'If two had to go, I'd choose Pedro and Verbruggen'
We asked for your views on how many players Brighton could afford to lose if they want to achieve their aims next season? You will see in our post below that several Seagulls players have been ranked in the top 100 in the world in terms of valuation. So does the value of Brighton's top players make their potential sales worthwhile?Here are some of your comments:Mark: Having brought in a substantial amount in fees in the last few summer windows, I'm hoping we may get away with only selling one top player (Joao Pedro) this summer. We need a genuine number nine, as Danny Welbeck isn't getting any younger, a central defender, and full-back cover. I'm hopeful that Evan Ferguson may develop into the player we hoped he would be, and the returning loan players kick on to establish themselves in the first team squad. I do think at least one will be moved on - we need to be a stronger squad on1 September than we were on 1 June if we're going to compete in the top six next season, which must be the If there's no choice and two had to go, I'd choose Pedro and Verbruggen. It sounds like Pedro is already out after the bust up with a team-mate, while we have a number of quality keepers. On no account should we sell Mitoma, Baleba or Van Hecke if we are serious about wanting to challenge the I feel quite relaxed about the possibility of losing most of those players, the exception being Baleba who I think we should keep hold of for now. I think we have decent replacements in the pipeline for all the Baleba shouldn't go for any less than Caicedo did. He's a better player than either of his predecessors. The way the season ended, I wonder if Joao Pedro's time is up and £60m is probably realistic. If bids of that much came in for Verbruggen or Minteh then I imagine they would go too. They would be missed, but they are not The model used to calculate those fees for our top players doesn't factor in the Bloom & Barber negotiation tax. So you can start by adding on a minimum of 10% to those numbers. If we sold Verbruggen for £60m+ and Pedro for £70m and then re-invested the profit in the right areas we would be in fine shape for next season. We need a right back, centre back and another number nine. My worry would be selling Mitoma, that would be really disappointing.
