Ruben Amorim picks NEW Carlos Baleba alternative

Cameron Smith

20 Nov 2025 08:12 GMT
4 min read

Manchester United are reportedly eager to rival Newcastle United for the signing of Ajax wonderkid Jorthy Mokio next year.

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The Belgium U21 international, who is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or as a left-back, has just over 18 months remaining on his current contract at Ajax and he is eager to leave the Eredivisie giants next year.

Current ETV

Jorthy Mokio

DM, M (C)

Jong Ajax

Jorthy Mokio

DM, M (C)

Jong Ajax

ETV Range

€9.8M - €12M

Mokio joined the Amsterdam club from KAA Gent last summer, but he is already keen to test himself elsewhere, despite Ajax’s desire to tie him down to fresh terms, as per Sky Sport.

This has alerted both Man Utd and Newcastle, who are understood to be keeping close tabs on the 17-year-old’s development in the Netherlands.

Man Utd, in particular, are reportedly following Mokio “very closely” and they believe he is the ideal player to bring to the club in 2026 as they continue to pursue the best young talents in world football.

Ruben Amorim’s side are eager to bring a new midfielder to Old Trafford next year, following their failure to replace the departed Christian Eriksen this summer, and a move for the Ajax starlet has been earmarked as a possibility.

However, Eintracht Frankfurt are also interested in signing Mokio and they could likely offer the Belgian youngster a more prominent first-team role than either Man Utd or Newcastle next year.

Mokio, who is the third-youngest goalscorer in Europa League history, has made 29 senior appearances for Ajax since his arrival last summer and his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at €10.9 million.

Man Utd chase new midfielder

Mokio has been identified as Man Utd’s latest midfield target, with the club also keeping close tabs on the likes of Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton.

The former was close to completing an Old Trafford switch this summer, before Brighton & Hove Albion blocked a transfer, and reports suggest that he remains Amorim’s priority target ahead of the upcoming January window.

However, Brighton are expected to once again demand a fee in excess of €113m (£100m) for the Cameroon international, which could well be out of Man Utd’s budget.

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