Man Utd transfer window rated with Carlos Baleba exactly what Michael Carrick needed but two areas still lacking quality

This was an unusually and consistently calm window from United. Their refusal to get involved in the silliest of silly seasons was admirable but they lack quality in at least two key areas. Michael Carrick and Co refused to get involved in transfer silly season Credit: Getty Hall missed out on a move to United Credit: Shutterstock Editorial United were too indecisive. They waited an eternity to make a move for Lewis Hall and pondering over which defensive midfielder to buy has resulted in them signing one who is injured and may not start a Premier League game until October. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! Their lack of senior sales is appalling but phase two of their rebuild has been completed and, from United’s perspective, they are on track. The defence will need three new defenders next year, with ideally three shifted, if the club are to continue to raise the standards. Andrey Santos – £48m rising to £50m – 6/10 From a brief interaction with him, Andrey Santos is a good personality and will not lack commitment, but United did Chelsea a favour by taking a squad player off their hands who had been farmed out on loan four times. United also overpaid for Santos. Paradoxically, Santos is also relatively cheap. After Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes moved elsewhere, a search of the most valuable Premier League midfielders aged between 22-26 (United’s preferred age bracket) produced a list of players who had moved clubs, were deemed overpriced by United or were no-goers. Ie. a Liverpool player. Santos was next on the list, so it is easy to see why United moved for him. Fees paid by other clubs for midfielders eases some of the pressure on Santos and he is more of a squad signing than a starting signing. Most read in Sport United agreed a deal worth £50m for Santos Credit: Shutterstock Editorial BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK In a summer where United wanted six recruits in a best-case scenario, only two – at most – were lined up to strengthen the starting XI. Santos was not one of them. The Brazilian should ensure there is no drastic shift in United’s midfield approach if or when Kobbie Mainoo is unavailable. Youri Tielemans – £35m – 7/10 Tielemans is a good player but United should have bought him in 2019. He has a lot of miles on the clock and has looked leggy in his first two starts after a taxing World Cup. A five-year contract for a 29-year-old was a throwback to the extravagance of the Ed Woodward era. Youri Tielemans has shown signs of tiredness in his opening two United games Credit: Alamy United paid £35million to bring the Belgian to Old Trafford Credit: Alamy Given there were no other takers for Tielemans and he had a release clause, it is baffling why United gave him such a lengthy deal. Similarly to Santos, the reasonable fee for Tielemans will soften any scrutiny and he improves United’s squad depth. Tielemans is not going to be a certain starter every weekend when Carlos Baleba is fit and his nous off the bench in certain matches could be invaluable. As captain of Belgium, he is another leader in the dressing room and Tielemans has the winner’s medals to back it up. He has won as much as United have in the past nine years. Karl Darlow – free – 6/10 Half of United’s signings were injured at the time they arrived and Darlow was one of them. At 35, he has been around the block, helps the homegrown quota and is a better goalkeeper than the gaffe-prone Altay Bayindir. Senne Lammens has never had a rest since he made his United debut and does not need one on the evidence of his two excellent performances this season. Darlow played regularly for Leeds last season Credit: Getty Darlow will play second fiddle to Senne Lammens Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Darlow was a free agent and is a logical choice to play second fiddle whilst getting the odd run-out in a domestic cup tie. He is not a second-choice goalkeeper with a compelling case to be rotated, a la Sergio Romero or Dean Henderson. Carlos Baleba – £65m rising to £70m – 7/10 Tielemans was not what United necessarily needed but Baleba is. A defensive midfielder was bound to be United’s biggest deal and they have got a player they have long admired for £30m less than what Brighton were fancifully quoting last year. Baleba had a sub-standard season in Hove though his head was clearly turned by United’s interest. The onus is on Baleba to show 2025-26 was an aberration, though it would have helped if United were as swift in signing him as they were with Santos and Tielemans. It helps that Baleba already has allies in the dressing room. He is international teammates with Bryan Mbeumo and played with Leny Yoro at Lille. His interactions with United players at the Amex on the final day of last season suggest that Baleba should have little trouble settling in. £70million for a 22-year-old is a shrewd investment and Baleba has fine support in Mainoo, Santos, Tielemans and Mason Mount (when fit) to adjust to the demands of a United midfielder. Baleba became United’s fourth summer signing Credit: Getty United unveiled Baleba at Old Trafford on Sunday Credit: Getty OVERALL VERDICT – 6/10 United have rebuilt their midfield without overpaying and their key signing is a worthy one. The squad depth has been improved but the absence of a credible competitor for Luke Shaw is glaring. The decision not to bring in a support striker is not as questionable. Michael Carrick has had plenty of joy when Benjamin Sesko has not started with strikerless starting XIs. The lack of a genuine first team squad sale is an utter failure and clearly compromised what United could do with incomings. This regime was not responsible for Marcus Rashford’s salary increase in 2023 but they did buy the hopeless Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte in 2024. United have enough quality to remain in the top four but, given their own players have talked up a title challenge, the hierarchy’s window strategy suggests they do not share that confidence. This could be a season of consolidation before United have a squad truly ready to end their drought next season. Comment now