Jamie O’Hara has launched a furious reaction to Manchester United’s reported £70 million move for Carlos Baleba, insisting the midfielder was “guff” last season and questioning whether the Premier League giants are getting value for money.
The former Tottenham midfielder was speaking during a heated transfer debate with talkSPORT football correspondent Alex Crook, with the pair clashing over the huge fees being paid for Premier League players.
Crook argued that a £70m deal for Baleba could eventually prove to be good business for Manchester United, particularly when compared with other expensive transfers in the division.
But O’Hara was having none of it.
“He was guff last season,” O’Hara argued, questioning why Manchester United should be praised for spending such a substantial amount on a player who had struggled for consistency.
O’Hara takes aim at Manchester United spending
The debate quickly turned into a wider argument about Manchester United and Tottenham’s transfer spending.
O’Hara accused Crook, a United supporter, of being inconsistent after previously criticising Tottenham for paying big fees for players.
He also brought up Manchester United’s previous spending, referencing the club’s £75m purchase of Antony and the £100m fee they received for Paul Pogba.
Crook hit back by comparing Baleba’s reported price with Tottenham’s reported £85m outlay for another major signing, arguing that the real judgement should come from what the players deliver on the pitch.
“Whoever makes more impact for their club, Baleba or [the Tottenham signing], the loser has to do a show,” Crook joked as the argument intensified.
Premier League transfer fees spark debate
The discussion then moved beyond Baleba and towards the rapidly rising cost of Premier League transfers.
Crook revealed that Brighton were reportedly demanding around £80m for Yankuba Minteh after Liverpool had already seen two offers rejected.
That figure prompted further disbelief from the panel, with O’Hara arguing that transfer fees have reached extraordinary levels.
However, Crook defended clubs such as Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford for demanding premium prices after identifying and developing talented players.
He pointed to Moisés Caicedo as an example of the model, with Brighton signing the Ecuadorian for a relatively modest fee before eventually selling him to Chelsea for a reported £115m.
“The fees are ridiculous”
The panel agreed that the transfer market has changed dramatically, particularly for English and Premier League-based players.
O’Hara questioned whether the so-called “British tax” was making domestic players disproportionately expensive, while Crook argued that clubs selling their best talent had every right to demand huge fees.
The discussion also touched on Aston Villa’s interest in Taylor Harwood-Bellis and the possibility of clubs looking overseas for better value.
Crook suggested that Premier League sides increasingly need to improve their recruitment rather than simply paying inflated prices for established names.
“Anyone can go and find Vinícius Jr.,” he argued, stressing that genuine scouting is about discovering players before they become expensive superstars.
Baleba fee under the spotlight
For O’Hara, however, the reported £70m price tag for Baleba remains difficult to justify.
His criticism reflects a broader concern surrounding the current Premier League transfer market, where £70m and £80m fees are increasingly