Man Utd 'suddenly U-turn' on Carlos Baleba as Ruben Amorim left impressed

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Manchester United are now reportedly eyeing a swoop for Crystal Palace's midfield maestro Adam Wharton, pushing Brighton's Carlos Baleba down their transfer wish-list. Ruben Amorim is known to be on the chase for midfield reinforcements moving forward.

Last summer, United were heavily linked with Brighton's Baleba, but a deal didn't happen after the lion's share of their budget was splashed on bolstering the attack. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko were all added to the squad.

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom has since confirmed United's interest in Baleba . However, talks with the Premier League side never advanced beyond initial contact last summer, as the Seagulls were believed to be holding out for a hefty £115million fee – a figure they compared to Chelsea's deal for Moises Caicedo – if they were to let their star man go at that stage.

Despite that steep price tag, rumours continue to swirl linking Baleba with a move to Old Trafford in both the January and next summer's transfer windows, However, United have also been keeping tabs on other midfield talents, including Palace man Wharton .

Reports now suggest that the England international has leapfrogged Baleba in United's transfer pecking order. According to the i paper , Amorim is a big fan of Wharton, particularly due to knack for kick-starting attacks with forward passes.

Baleba's inconsistent start to the season with Brighton has also reportedly raised eyebrows at Old Trafford. While Brighton are expected to demand a hefty sum of over £100million, for Baleba, it's believed that Wharton could be secured for a lesser amount, although the exact figure Palace would demand remains uncertain.

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The club is keen on securing a replacement before letting go of their midfielder, making a summer transfer more probable than a January one. It's also reported that United are prepared to wait patiently to bring the right player into the fold.

The choice between Wharton and Baleba appears to be a dilemma that United will face in the upcoming transfer windows - whether that's in January or next summer. It seems their position from just a few months ago may have shifted, with Wharton now emerging as the priority target over his Premier League rival.

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