Manchester United accelerate Angelo Stiller pursuit as Jason Wilcox leads shortlist with Carlos Baleba

Manchester United are advancing plans for a summer midfield upgrade, with Technical Director Jason Wilcox prioritising Angelo Stiller and Carlos Baleba. A deal for Stiller is viewed internally as highly attainable, with a fee in the £44–53m bracket being explored and groundwork already underway. United admire Stiller’s control, scanning and progressive passing from a deep No.6/8 role, viewing him as a perfect complement to Kobbie Mainoo and a sustainable alternative to high-cost targets. Baleba remains on the shortlist as an athletic, ball-winning profile. While January is not ruled out, signals point strongly to a summer move to secure the right value.

The interest follows months of coordinated scouting and recruitment meetings led by Jason Wilcox, with senior club staff attending multiple VfB Stuttgart fixtures and tracking Brighton’s Carlos Baleba in the Premier League. Independent coverage in England and Germany has aligned on United’s focus on a summer window, with valuations in the £44–53m range discussed privately. The shortlist reflects United’s strategic planning for a controlling midfielder who fits the club’s evolving on-ball model.

🚨 BREAKING: Jason Wilcox is one of the people who have been closely monitoring Angelo Stiller over the past few years. Stiller & Baleba are on the shortlist for midfielders. A summer deal is more likely than January, a fee of around £44M-£53M is possible. [@FabrizioRomano]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

Angelo Stiller profiles as a high-IQ, metronomic controller who thrives in structured possession. At Stuttgart, he has operated predominantly as a deep-lying No.6/8 within a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3, excelling at tempo-setting, line-breaking passes and third-man combinations. His body orientation and scanning frequency allow him to receive under pressure and progress play with disguise, while his pressing triggers are clean and repeatable. For United, that translates into faster exits from the first phase, more stable rest-defense positions, and higher-quality entries into Zone 14 for creators like Bruno Fernandes.

Crucially, Stiller’s profile complements Kobbie Mainoo rather than duplicates it. Mainoo’s hybrid 6/8 elasticity and carry-to-release sequences pair naturally with Stiller’s distribution-first approach, enabling role interchange in build-up and improved press-resistance against mid-to-high blocks. Compared with costlier continental options, Stiller offers Premier League-adaptable physical output, tactical discipline, and age-curve upside without distorting the wage structure.

Carlos Baleba, meanwhile, provides a more vertical, ball-winning dimension. His acceleration and duel volume raise United’s athletic ceiling in midfield, especially in transition defense. Together, the shortlist balances control and intensity—two pillars United have chased under their recruitment reset. Financially, a £44–53m structure for Stiller (with achievable add-ons) is competitive versus market benchmarks for elite U23 controllers and leaves capacity for additional squad needs.

Reaction

Online supporter debates have zeroed in on role fit. One camp fears Stiller might be too similar to Kobbie Mainoo; others counter that their profiles are complementary, casting Stiller as the system’s conductor while Mainoo flexes between disruption and progression. Some observers frame Stiller more as a Bruno succession piece than a conventional CM, pointing to his final-third passing lanes and set-plays, though his primary value remains in first and second-phase orchestration.

There’s skepticism on Baleba’s mentality after a patchy run, with concerns about consistency and decision-making under pressure. A separate thread questions release-clause talk—numbers around €40m have circulated—but the consensus among more cautious fans is that Stuttgart will hold firm for a premium if a summer auction develops. One viral comment joked about United “smelling goals” next season, reflecting optimism about the team’s attacking metrics, while pragmatic voices warn that January movement is unlikely. Notably, a claim that James Garner could be available on a free has been corrected by informed fans, who point out his long-term Everton deal.

Overall sentiment trends positive: supporters see Stiller as a stylistic missing piece to stabilise build-up and unlock higher-quality chance creation, with Baleba viewed as the high-ceiling, high-variance option who could turbocharge the midfield’s athletic profile.

Social reactions

I watched him his last game and I dunno if it was the stream quality or the FOV of the telecast or whatever but I just couldn’t track him Couldn’t clock if he was in the holding midfielder position or higher up the pitch or just Stuttgart were just all over the place

Christian Morales (@chriszuhh_)

I can tell he’s so good that he can smell goals

Fan_page_MUFC (@footy_vibes2025)

We will have our nose inside the goal net next season

Fan_page_MUFC (@footy_vibes2025)

Prediction

United will continue soft negotiations through intermediaries, locking in player-side green lights before formal talks with Stuttgart towards the end of the season. Expect a tiered fee proposal around £44m plus add-ons rising toward £53m based on appearances, European qualification and team success metrics. Personal terms should be straightforward given United’s salary hierarchy and Stiller’s age-curve incentives. A medical and signing timeline would most likely align with early-summer availability, allowing Stiller to integrate for pre-season.

Baleba’s pathway hinges on pricing and squad planning. If a sale at Brighton’s valuation becomes feasible—and if United offload at least one midfielder—he remains a live option to pair control with ball-winning power. Otherwise, United may pivot to a leaner window: Stiller as the keystone, supplemented by internal development and targeted depth at full-back or wide forward.

Competitive tension could emerge from Bundesliga and Premier League suitors seeking a controller, but United’s early groundwork under Jason Wilcox, plus the player’s tactical fit and role clarity, makes Old Trafford a strong favourite. Probability outlook: Stiller to United—high; Baleba—conditional on exits and price elasticity.

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Conclusion

Manchester United’s recruitment under Jason Wilcox is showing definition: identify the system pivots, move early, and pay for fit over flash. Angelo Stiller embodies that doctrine. His poise, passing profile and spatial awareness align with United’s need to stabilise phase one and two of possession, empowering Kobbie Mainoo while preserving Bruno Fernandes for higher-value touches. The numbers around a £44–53m package reflect modern market reality for elite young controllers and still leave strategic headroom for further squad evolution.

Carlos Baleba adds a different edge—range, dueling power, and vertical thrust—offering United the option to tilt toward athletic domination when the game state demands. Even if only one arrives, the shortlist itself signals a coherent plan: control matches from midfield, reduce volatility, and raise the technical floor. Barring late twists, a summer resolution favours Old Trafford. For a side already trending upward in chance creation, the addition of a possession anchor like Stiller could be the catalyst that turns promising metrics into sustained, winning football.