Carlos Baleba. (Reuters/Paul Childs)
Manchester United are interested in Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba but will have to pay €120m for his services. The Red Devils have already spent over £200m on transfers this summer if you include the agreement to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko for £74m, but midfield remains a key area to address for Ruben Amorim.
ESPN has reported that Brighton has slapped a lofty price tag on Baleba in the hopes of keeping the player for another year at least. The Cameroon international is also attracting interest from the other side of Manchester.
Baleba has emerged as one of the Premier League’s brightest young stars, playing a crucial role in Fabian Hurzeler’s system. He made 34 Premier League appearances for Brighton last season, scoring three goals and contributing one assist.
His all action box-to-box style of play has drawn admirers from near and far, with many tipping the player for a career at the very top of football.
He joined Brighton from French club Lille in 2023 in a €30m deal. In fact his former club are due 20% of any future transfer fee that rises above that figure.
United has not yet formally approached Brighton, with departures needed before another transfer can take place.
Baleba on the wish list of Man United
United are in search of a different profile in midfield, with most of their options in that position being either distinctly attacking or distinctly defensive. Skipper Bruno Fernandes is a play making No.10 who looks to roam and pick up the ball in advanced areas. The same can be said in part for Mason Mount.
Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are more defensive minded ball winners. Kobe Mainoo remains the only hybrid No.8 of sorts, but his lack of pace and mobility sees him generally used higher up the pitch.
Baleba fits the bill perfectly as an athletic all action midfielder. He has pace, energy, and endurance in abundance and can tackle just as effectively as he can pass.
Amorim’s system consists of two deeper midfield players, wing-backs who push high up the pitch, two inside forwards, and a striker.
With Sesko expected to be the starting striker, and new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo expected to play behind him, that leaves one spot free next to Bruno Fernandes in the deeper lying midfield roles.
The nature of United’s system seems them pressing high up the pitch, often times leaving them vulnerable on the counter. Baleba’s pace would add extra insurance that they are covered when they lose the ball.
Baleba is happy to make the 10-yard sprint to anticipate danger and close down space. He is just as happy to make the 60-yard sprint to recover. Traits that United arguably lack in their current set up.
Should United get their man, Baleba would become the latest in a long list of Brighton players to make big-money moves to other Premier League clubs.
Moisés Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro, Ben White, Yves Bissouma, and Alexis Mac Allister are all products of the Brighton talent factory who ply their trade at other Premier League clubs.
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