Manchester United might end up signing a cheap Premier League defensive midfielder instead of Carlos Baleba! Aurelien Tchouameni has no intention of leaving Real Madrid.

Those who love me are devoted without regret, while I willingly wait for the one I love. This is a true portrayal of Manchester United's search for their final midfield signing in the summer window! Sir Jim Ratcliffe dreams of signing Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni and has been patiently waiting, but the player has no intention of moving; Brighton's defensive midfielder Carlos Baleba, who is eager to join United, may no longer be on the Red Devils' shortlist.

According to Spanish newspaper El País, Manchester United still have a "strong interest" in Real Madrid's French duo Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, and believe the La Liga giants would be happy to accept a bid exceeding €50 million.

However, their dreams may be dashed, as neither Tchouameni nor Camavinga has shown any intention of leaving the Bernabéu. Even though Real Madrid are prepared to raise €150 million through player sales to fund the signings of Rodri and Diomandé.

Real Madrid sources emphasize that despite long-standing rumors linking him with Manchester United, Tchouameni is unlikely to leave the club, as there are currently no signs of a departure plan, and such transfers are usually well prepared in advance. Although Tchouameni did not anticipate Rodri's arrival when he signed his extension, club insiders reveal that if Rodri does join, they would prefer to let go of Camavinga rather than Tchouameni.

David Ornstein, the authoritative transfer expert from The Athletic, stated that Manchester United are indeed confused about the final potential defensive midfield target.

Ornstein explained: "Signing a third midfielder is clearly one of Manchester United's plans, and this is well known. They are considering various options. If there was a player they really liked and the price was right, they would have already made a move. We talked about Manu Koné in New York, and United have been linked with many other players. But at the moment, I don't know if they have a clear direction in midfield recruitment."

According to British media reports, Mason Mount's performances in pre-season have also made the club hesitant about whether to spend big on a defensive midfielder. Another theory is that United may end up signing a cheaper midfield reinforcement, priced between £30 million and £40 million, rather than the rumored £80 million level.

When asked whether Manchester United would consider signing another defensive midfielder, Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic replied: "They have obviously scouted Sander Berge and Bournemouth's Tyler Adams. They have looked at these players and are currently evaluating their next move in recruitment. Discussions are ongoing internally at United."

22-year-old Baleba is clearly the player most willing to join Manchester United among all candidates. Unfortunately, after reaching a personal agreement last summer but failing to complete the transfer, the Red Devils seem to have lost interest in the Cameroonian international, whose season performance has taken a sharp downturn.

British media report that Baleba begged Brighton to lower their asking price so he could secure a transfer. Unfortunately, it was too late; United had already signed two players, and Brighton set a price tag of €100 million. Upon learning this, United simply gave up.

Ornstein reassured Manchester United fans, saying that perhaps they should wait until the end of the summer window to judge the success of Ratcliffe and INEOS's transfer dealings, as they still have less than a month left to turn things around.

Ornstein stated: "Clearly, the midfield and left-back are the two most important positions for Manchester United's rebuild this summer. It's best to wait until the transfer window closes before making a judgment. Although fans are clearly disappointed at this point, it's not advisable to jump to conclusions while the window is still open. After all, there is still time."