United's Midfield Hunt: Kone and Baleba in the Crosshairs

United, it seems, have dusted off their interest in Baleba again. He's the 22-year-old Brighton midfielder. His performances last season? Pretty indifferent. Didn't stop the club's enthusiasm, apparently. Sky Sports News says no formal offer has landed. Any deal, they reckon, hinges on agreeing a price. Shocking, I know.

Manu Kone, the 25-year-old France international from Roma, looks like the cheaper option. Roma's asking price? Expected to be a good chunk less than Brighton's. French sources even suggest United are currently ahead in that particular race, despite other European clubs sniffing around. But don't hold your breath. It's all still 'exploratory.' Nothing's imminent, obviously.

Bournemouth's Tyler Adams also sits on this lengthy midfield wishlist. United aren't exactly in a hurry, it seems. They're still poking around for options across a few different positions.

This trio – Kone, Baleba, Adams – paints a picture of United's 'measured' summer recruitment. Measured, indeed. Quite the contrast to how fast they snapped up Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea. Those two deals, by the way, set them back a cool £85m. Just something to keep in mind.