Manchester United's summer spending spree has transformed their midfield, with the arrival of Carlos Baleba pushing the total outlay in that area to roughly £155m. The Brighton midfielder joins Chelsea's Andrey Santos, signed for £48m, and former Aston Villa man Youri Tielemans, who cost £35m, as United sought to strengthen a unit identified as a priority following their return to the Champions League after a two-season absence.
With Baleba's arrival, manager Michael Carrick now has four midfield options of contrasting styles, including England international Kobbie Mainoo, with three of the group aged 22 or under. Yet attention at Old Trafford is already shifting toward another area of the squad that supporters believe needs reinforcement: left-back.
Luke Shaw remains United's first-choice option at left-back, having started every one of the club's 38 Premier League matches last season, including the opening-day defeat at Hull City. Across United's last 44 league fixtures, the 31-year-old has missed just one start — the final match of the 2024-25 campaign, which came days after the Europa League final loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite that consistency, Shaw's fitness history remains a concern. Between February 2024 and April 2025, he made as many appearances for England as he did for United — three each — after being sidelined by calf and hamstring problems, with suggestions that former manager Erik ten Hag brought him back from injury too soon. Last season's lighter 38-game campaign, without extended cup runs, allowed him time to manage his recovery, but such a workload is unlikely to be repeated this term given United's fixture list, which includes a stretch without a free midweek — barring international breaks — running until the period around Christmas.
That combination of factors has fueled expectations that Carrick could look to add competition for Shaw before the transfer window shuts on 1 September. Newcastle United's Lewis Hall, 21, is understood to be a player United admire, seen as an ideal age to challenge Shaw for a starting role while sharing minutes across a congested calendar. However, Newcastle are reluctant to sell, and United's hierarchy has shown throughout the summer a refusal to overpay for transfer targets.
United's financial position may also limit their room for maneuver. The club's most recent published accounts, covering the period up to 31 March, showed outstanding transfer debts of £405.75m, with £171.14m due beyond one year. It remains unclear how an additional $125m (£91.64m) secured through a refinancing deal announced in June will be allocated, though it is believed the Baleba deal — worth around £70m — sits at the top end of what the club had budgeted.
Other left-back options have been floated as alternatives to Hall. Racing Santander's 19-year-old Jorge Salinas, who has a €16m release clause, is also being watched by Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona's Alejandro Balde, valued between €30m and €40m, has been linked amid uncertainty over his future in Catalonia.
United could also turn to internal solutions. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have both operated on the left flank previously, and new signing Baleba, a natural left-footer, has experience playing full-back for Brighton. Teenager Harry Amass served as Shaw's understudy in pre-season but was left out of the squad for the trip to Hull, fueling speculation over a potential departure, either on loan or permanently.
Meanwhile, question marks persist over the futures of several fringe players. Marcus Rashford is set to remain and wear the number nine shirt this season, ruling out an earlier suggestion he could leave, while a proposed departure for Manuel Ugarte was abandoned after a World Cup injury. Joshua Zirkzee, an unused substitute in the loss at Hull, could yet depart amid reported interest from Serie A, though the severity of Amad Diallo's injury — with some reports suggesting he could be sidelined for up to six weeks — adds further uncertainty to United's forward options.
While most observers expect Carrick's squad to include a new left-back by the time the window closes, sources close to the club are urging caution over whether such a deal will materialize before the deadline.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.