{
  "id": 2356670,
  "title": "Whitwell reveals Man Utd consider fielding Baleba in surprising new role",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/whitwell-reveals-man-utd-consider-fielding-baleba-in-surprising-new",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T10:10:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/whitwell-reveals-man-utd-consider-101000890.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Manchester United may explore utilizing Carlos Baleba in an unconventional position, left-back, according to The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell. The transfer for the Cameroon midfielder has been ongoing for over a year, with Brighton and Manchester United reportedly in advanced talks. Baleba, who has not played left-back for Brighton but has experience at center-back, could potentially step into that role if needed. While primarily a central midfielder, Baleba's versatility allows for adaptability across both full-back and central midfield positions. The modern game has seen other top-tier players, such as Joshua Kimmich, Eduardo Camavinga, and Dominik Szoboszlai, seamlessly transition between these roles. However, Baleba's natural talent lies in the central midfield, where his strength, stamina, and tactical awareness shine. United's recent signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have shifted their focus toward securing a left-back to complement Luke Shaw. Lewis Hall was initially targeted, but Newcastle United refused to sell. Myles Lewis-Skelly, an Arsenal youth player capable of covering both left-back and midfield roles, was also considered. Nonetheless, Baleba remains the primary target for United's transfer campaign.",
  "summary": "Carlos Baleba could soon become Manchester United’s long-awaited marquee signing in the middle of the park, but could also prove to be an option for another playing role.Earlier this week, The Athle...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}