Manchester United's Transfer Market Plans After Hull City Defeat
Manchester United plan to go back into the transfer market after a bruising opening‑day defeat to Hull City left serious questions hanging over Michael Carrick’s squad.
The 2-0 loss at the MKM Stadium was more than a bad result. It was a reality check.
Semi Ajayi struck on 17 minutes, Nobel Mendy added a second before the break, and the newly promoted side controlled long stretches of the game. United, flat and second best, offered little in response.
Baleba deal done – but not the end of United’s business
INEOS had tried to set a different tone before a ball was kicked. Two new midfielders, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, came straight into Carrick’s first Premier League XI of the season. A third, Carlos Baleba, is on the way after Brighton & Hove Albion accepted a £70 million bid, with the midfielder heading to Carrington for a medical.
That agreement dropped just before Arsenal opened their campaign with a win over Coventry City. It felt like a statement, a sign United were finally moving with purpose.
Then Hull happened.
The performance has sharpened the mood around the club. The midfield rebuild looks close to complete on paper, but the display on the pitch told a different story: this squad still needs help, and not just in the middle of the park.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano says United are well aware of that. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he insisted the club will not stop at Baleba.
"It's been a bad day for Manchester United, losing to Hull City on the opening 2026-27 Premier League game, but still Manchester United is looking for more signings after Carlos Baleba. The left-back position is going to be crucial, the left-back position is going to be definitely one to watch and I would still keep an eye on movements in that area," Romano said.
Left-back under the spotlight – Balde talks held
Luke Shaw started at left-back at Hull, just as he did in all 38 Premier League games last season. That reliability is part of the problem. Carrick has no real way to rotate him without a drop-off, and INEOS do not want to gamble on Shaw’s fitness holding for another year.
A new left-back has been on the agenda for weeks. Lewis Hall was one of the names under discussion, but Newcastle United have made it clear they are not willing to sell, and that avenue has effectively closed.
So attention has turned abroad.
Romano revealed that United have already sounded out the camp of Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde, with talks held with his agent Jorge Mendes.
"It's important to understand how much United can spend on that position because the name I gave you over the week as a possibility is Alejandro Balde. Reports from Spain today are saying Balde is 100% leaving Barcelona following a meeting with his agent Jorge Mendes. Jorge Mendes has been looking for a solution for Balde in recent days. Jorge Mendes had a call with Manchester United, Man United were asking for conditions of a deal for Alejandro Balde. Let's see if they can afford in terms of transfer fee but also salary because Balde is on a big salary at Barcelona," Romano explained.
Hansi Flick’s stance at Barcelona has opened the door for Balde to move, rather than closing it. For United, the Spaniard is viewed as an alternative to Hall, but the numbers will dictate everything. Barcelona’s fee and Balde’s wages would both have to fit within what INEOS are prepared to spend on a full-back.
Three more signings needed – not just a left-back
The Hull defeat underlined a wider truth: the job at Old Trafford is far from finished.
Left-back is a priority, and going into the season with Shaw as the only trusted option on that side would be a risk United can hardly justify. But the issues do not stop there.
Up front, the lack of depth and sharpness was exposed. Benjamin Sesko came off the bench at the MKM Stadium as he works his way back towards full fitness after a long lay-off. Matheus Cunha led the line from the start but struggled to impose himself or pin Hull’s defence back. For a club of United’s size, to lean so heavily on those two while Joshua Zirkzee’s future remains unresolved feels like a gamble.
At centre-back, the picture is just as precarious. Matthijs de Ligt is closing in on a return from injury, and Lisandro Martinez remains a cornerstone of Carrick’s plans, but both have endured repeated fitness problems during their time at the club. Building a season on the hope that they stay available would be asking for trouble.
INEOS have already reshaped the middle of the pitch. The next phase is clear: a left-back, a centre-forward, and another centre-back. The Hull result didn’t create that shopping list, it simply made it impossible to ignore.
The window is still open. The question now is whether United move with the same urgency on the pitch as they are being forced to show off it.
