Mount's hamstring setback pushes Man United into third midfield signing of the summer

Mason Mount’s hamstring injury against Paris Saint-Germain has directly accelerated Manchester United’s move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the Cameroonian international now close to completing a third midfield signing of the summer for the club.

United had already moved swiftly to address a midfield gap left by Casemiro’s departure, securing Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m. Baleba had been on the club’s radar since last summer, but the timing of his imminent arrival is tied closely to Mount’s fitness concerns.

According to The Athletic, Mount had impressed sufficiently in pre-season to convince some within the club that he could fill a deeper midfield role — a performance level that prompted an internal debate over whether a new left-back should instead be United’s primary remaining target. Names including Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga were considered as dual-position options who could cover both midfield and left back.

Mount’s hamstring problem, described as minor following scans, shifted that calculus. While not severe enough on its own to force a complete change of direction, it served as a timely reminder of the 26-year-old’s injury record over recent seasons and renewed the club’s urgency to add midfield depth. The Lewis-Skelly route is now considered unlikely.

Manager Michael Carrick confirmed the club is actively working to strengthen before the window closes. “We are certainly working towards that, and making the most of the situation that we have and trying to improve things, trying to move forward,” he said. “I think we’re in a good way to doing that.”

Carrick also offered a cautiously optimistic update on Mount himself. “Managing Mason a little bit, but he is very close, so it is touch and go for the weekend really and going into next week,” he said. “He has picked up a bit of a knock, there are no dramas. It is nothing major. Of course, he has missed some football over recent years, and he wants to be fit and wants to be in that full rhythm.”

Baleba’s arrival would give United four senior midfield options — Santos, Tielemans, Mount and the Brighton man — heading into the new season, providing cover for a position that was badly exposed last term.