Ineos are now in an advantageous position with Carlos Baleba’s move to Old Trafford compared with Bryan Mbeumo’s transfer to Manchester United.
Bryan Mbeumo is in his second season at Old Trafford after the Red Devils signed the 27-year-old Cameroon international in the 2025 summer transfer window.
Manchester United saw two initial bids rejected for Mbeumo before the Red Devils paid an initial £65m fee, including £6m in add-ons, to sign him from Brentford.
Carlos Baleba was the last major signing that Ineos made before the transfer window closed on 1st September after he was signed from Brighton in August.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United completed the signing of Carlos Baleba for an initial £65m transfer fee and a further £5m was agreed in add-ons for the summer transfer.
Baleba was a key part of United’s midfield overhaul in the summer after Andrey Santos was signed from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans arrived from Aston Villa.
The 22-year-old Cameroonian midfielder endured a mixed final season at Brighton, but he did see an uptick in form during Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
It was at the same Africa Cup of Nations tournament where the Red Devils were hit with a stumbling block over Bryan Mbeumo in his debut campaign at Old Trafford.
United had requested for both Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to report for AFCON duties with their respective nations later than usual to avoid a crisis for Ruben Amorim.
The absence of both Mbeumo and Amad Diallo left former United manager Ruben Amorim to navigate a difficult period before he was ultimately sacked by the club.
United had been left with limited options on the right-hand side in December 2025 and January 2026 after Mbeumo and Amad were away at the AFCON tournament.
The Africa Cup of Nations will not return until 2027 now, but the Red Devils will not have to face the same obstacle with Baleba as they did post-Mbeumo transfer.
Instead of AFCON 2027 being held during the 2026-27 Premier League season, the tournament has now been shifted to the summer instead of the winter period.
United will have to address how the likes of Baleba, Mbeumo and Amad catch up on a potential late pre-season return in 2027 after the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Baleba’s first full season at Old Trafford after he returns from injury won’t suffer the same interruption that Cameroon teammate Mbeumo experienced.
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