Wayne Rooney has said Manchester United need more height and physicality in midfield. Manchester United have still gone ahead with a £65m package for Carlos Baleba, a player listed at 5ft10. Rooney's view and the club's pursuit point in different directions, and that is the clearest part of this story.
Rooney's midfield point
Speaking to manchestereveningnews.co.uk, Rooney described Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo and Santos as "small lads" and said United need "that profile of player" in the middle. He added: "Yeah, I think that profile of player would suit United massively."
The numbers he cited back up the point he was making about size. Mainoo is the tallest of the midfielders named at 6ft, Santos is around 5ft11 and Tielemans is 5ft9. Rooney was not talking about one player in isolation, he was arguing that United's midfield needs a different physical shape.
Why Baleba still fits United's target list
That has not stopped United pursuing Baleba. The move is worth £65m, and Brighton previously put off United with a £100m valuation last summer. He also played regularly, making 31 appearances in 2025/26, even though he did not register a Premier League goal or assist.
That profile helps explain why United are still interested. They are not shopping for output first, at least not here. They are looking at a midfielder they believe can do a broader job, even if Rooney thinks the current group needs a bigger frame.
Brighton are in no rush to make this easy either. United were deterred before, and they are back with a package that shows how serious they are about Baleba now. The summer transfer window shuts on 1 September, so the gap between Rooney's advice and United's recruitment plan will not stay open for long.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
