Man Utd ready to let three stars leave to fund £115m Carlos Baleba transfer

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to let three of Erik ten Hag's costly transfer flops leave on a free transfer, in an attempt to kickstart the Ruben Amorim era. Amorim took over from Ten Hag in 2024 and inherited a squad packed with high-priced stars who were underperforming. This has led to a disappointing first year for Amorim, with only nine victories from his 32 Premier League games at the helm.

During the summer window, Amorim managed to offload several big-name players, with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony leaving permanently. Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Andre Onana and Jadon Sancho were all loaned out, and it's unlikely they'll be returning to Old Trafford next year.

According to The Sun, more players will be shown the door in 2026 to free up funds for a significant midfield signing. United chose to invest heavily in attacking reinforcements this time, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko for a combined fee exceeding £200m.

However, this meant that other areas, particularly their midfield, were neglected. There were strong calls for a new central midfielder to help implement Amorim's strict 3-4-2-1 system.

United were strongly linked with Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, but despite preliminary discussions, a deal was considered too expensive. Brighton value the Cameroon international at £115m, and he could be the headline signing of next summer's window.

United chiefs are prepared to authorise a series of high-profile departures in an effort to reduce the wage bill ahead of another spending spree in the transfer market. Casemiro, the 33-year-old who is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, is expected to top the list of those leaving.

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Despite being a consistent presence under both Ten Hag and Amorim, the Brazilian's performance has been inconsistent. After an impressive debut season, he has struggled to maintain that level of form.

His limitations were highlighted by a costly red card in the recent victory over Chelsea.

Casemiro was signed from Real Madrid for £70m in 2022 and remains one of the highest earners at the club. While United have the option to extend his contract for another year, it seems increasingly likely that he will leave on a free transfer.

Sancho, who was signed for £73m in the same summer as Casemiro, has proven to be an even more expensive mistake by the previous management. He hasn't played a league match for United in over two years, spending much of that time out on loan.

Currently, he is trying to revive his career with Aston Villa, but he will become a free agent next July. It is unlikely that United will activate the 12-month option in his contract.

Tyrell Malacia is also almost certain to leave, having been the only member of Amorim's 'bomb squad' not to secure a summer exit.

The left-back, who was Ten Hag's first signing for a cool £13m, has had a rough ride with injuries. He seemed set to depart in the latest transfer window, but his move to Turkey fell through.

Like Casemiro and Sancho, he can leave on a free next year. However, one player who seems increasingly likely to remain at United is former skipper Harry Maguire.

The England ace became the world's most expensive defender when he joined from Leicester in 2019. Despite falling out of favour under Ten Hag, he still has the support of his current gaffer.

United activated a contract extension earlier this year to keep him on board for this season and now hope to secure him on a longer deal - albeit on reduced terms.