Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has publicly questioned the club's decision to spend approximately £120m on midfielders Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba. United committed to a £70m package for 22-year-old Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion and a £50m deal for 22-year-old Santos from Chelsea, but Ince argues that the heavy investment in the engine room has come at the expense of other vital squad positions.
The opportunity cost of United's double signing
Speaking to Metro, Ince expressed his confusion over the transfer strategy, especially given the presence of academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo. "I don’t understand why United would buy Santos for £50m and Baleba for £70m when they already have Mainoo," Ince stated. He suggested that allocating those funds elsewhere could have elevated the club into genuine title contention. "I felt there might be other areas where the money could have been spent," Ince told Football365. "Perhaps in the full-back area or a striker to help them push for the top two or three."
Carrick's tactical setup and squad depth
The arrivals of Baleba and Santos, alongside the addition of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, represent a major overhaul of Manchester United's midfield under head coach Michael Carrick. Carrick frequently deployed a 4-2-2-2 system last season, a demanding tactical setup requiring highly mobile central midfielders to cover significant ground and halt opposition counter-attacks. While Baleba's £65m initial fee (plus £5m in add-ons) and Santos's £48m initial fee (plus £2m in add-ons) provide elite physical profiles for this system, it leaves United short of specialist coverage at left-back and striker, where injuries heavily disrupted the previous campaign.
