Manchester United’s latest midfield target this summer is Sevilla star Lucien Agoume.
It has been made clear that Ruben Amorim wants to sign an “athletic” midfielder for Manchester United this summer, and Ineos are keen to make that happen before the summer window slams shut.
United made an approach for Carlos Baleba, but Brighton stood firm and informed Ineos that they would like to hold on to the 21-year-old midfielder for another year.
Therefore, United are now looking at Baleba alternatives, and one new target that has emerged is Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume.
Agoume is available for £35 million this summer, and the financial situation in Seville suggests they would be more than open to a deal.
Sevilla’s financial ‘crisis’ could help Man United land Lucien Agoume
The issue in signing Baleba is that Brighton want around £115 million for the young midfielder – a price that United understandably don’t want to pay.
But Agoume represents a much cheaper option, and his £35 million release clause means that any deal should be relatively straightforward.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo point out that selling Agoume would “greatly help the club’s finances”, but it is not yet known whether Sevilla would negotiate a lower price for Agoume.
A report from Idman goes into detail on Sevilla’s “financial crisis”, with the La Liga side reporting losses of €81.7 million (£70 million).
Sevilla’s equity has now turned negative and the club’s debts have exceeded €65 million (£56 million). As a result, they are struggling to register players and are having to rely heavily on their youth system.
The sale of Agoume to United would certainly be a win-win for all involved.
How Lucien Agoume compares to Carlos Baleba
United fans were desperate to sign Baleba this summer, but it seems Ineos are willing to wait until 2026 to test Brighton’s resolve again.
However, if Baleba is off the cards, Agoume is certainly not a bad alternative given his impressive stats.
Comparing Agoume and Baleba’s 2024/25 campaigns, the similarities are clear as day.
As per FBref, both Agoume and Baleba record four goal participations last season, although that is not the main strength of their game.
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United need a defensive midfielder, and Agoume ranks higher in tackles and interceptions made per 90 minutes.
Amazingly, Agoume recorded no errors leading to opposition shots last season. The French midfielder does have a slightly worse passing completion rate at 81.5% compared to Baleba’s 87.4%, but he does complete more per 90 than the Brighton star.
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