Man Utd have bumped Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton above Brighton’s Carlos Baleba in their list of midfield targets, according to reports.

The Red Devils have been showing similar inconsistencies to last season with Ruben Amorim’s side winning three, losing three and drawing one of their first seven matches.

Man Utdimproved their attacking options in the summer transfer window by spending around ￡200m in total on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

The Red Devils also brought in a new goalkeeper in Senne Lammens but many fans and former players think they overlooked the signing of a new midfielder.

Man Utd are crying out for a quality defensive midfielder and were briefly linked to Baleba over the summer before it became evident the Red Devils couldn’t afford the huge ￡115m fee which Brighton were demanding for the Cameroon international.

The i Paperclaim that England international Wharton has ‘overtaken’ Baleba on the Red Devils’ list of midfield targets with Amorim ‘an admirer of the directness to the Crystal Palace midfielder’s game’.

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The report adds: ‘Sources have told?The i Paper?that Wharton’s effortless ascendancy, along with the fact Baleba seems to struggle with the attention, having not completed a single full 90 minutes for Brighton this term, has caused several senior United figures to rethink their shortlist.’

Transfer insider Graeme Bailey reckons Man Utd could sign a midfielder in January but a loan signing could be more realistic before a big signing in the summer.

Bailey told United In Focus: “It could be the case that we see a midfield signing in January, maybe even a loan before we see a more permanent fixture in the summer.”

On Baleba and Wharton, Bailey added:?“And United are fully aware of the prices we are talking about, they know Baleba, Wharton and the like are not ￡50million or ￡60million players, they realise they are twice that. Ineos are backing United and know the sort of finances need to compete at the top.”

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Brighton chairman Tony Bloom insisted that Man Utd’s pursuit of Baleba was not a saga as the Red Devils very quickly “went away” after learning the midfielder wasn’t available for sale.

Bloom said: “I don’t think Baleba was a saga.There was interest from Manchester United, and we said that he wasn’t available this summer and they went away.

“So we’ve had many bigger sagas in the past. But Carlos Baleba, his improvement has been immense.

“Massively important player to this football club, and just delighted that he’s with us for this season.”

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