Manchester United are close to completing a deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the club expected to then turn their attention to signing a new left-back, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Baleba deal progressing
Negotiations over a move for the Cameroon international are progressing well, and a few final details remain before the transfer is wrapped up. Once that is done, focus can shift to other targets.
Baleba appears set to join Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in United's new-look midfield, but he may not be the last new arrival. With over a week remaining in the transfer window, there is still time for further activity.
Michael Carrick will not have Baleba available for Saturday's lunchtime Premier League clash against Hull City, which is United's opening league fixture of the new campaign.
Left-back targets identified
Luke Shaw remains United's preferred option at left-back, though the additional demands of Champions League football suggest the club need someone capable of providing immediate competition while also offering the quality to eventually succeed the England international.
Lewis Hall and Jorge Salinas have both emerged as potential targets, while reports in Spain have also indicated interest in Barcelona's Alejandro Balde. However, unless Newcastle can be persuaded to soften their firm stance on Hall, United may well be forced to bide their time for the former Chelsea full-back.
Lewis-Skelly ruled out
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Myles Lewis-Skelly will "100 per cent" still be an Arsenal player when the transfer window closes. The remarks appear to extinguish any hopes of a United or Chelsea swoop for the 19-year-old.
"The players that have been raised in our system, and they feel generally that love and that connection with the club, bring something else, there's no question about that," the Gunners manager added. "We need to look after them in a really special way because they bring value that is very difficult to find. That's why, when we can, we want to protect those assets as much as possible, develop them and make them extremely important for the club."
