Manchester United continue to be linked with 21-year-old Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba after a summer move failed to come to fruition
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer transfer window(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has shared a cryptic message on social media amid ongoing transfer links with Manchester United.
The 21-year-old was heavily tipped to make the switch to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, although widespread reports of interest never materialised into a formal bid. The fee required to tempt Brighton into reconsidering their firm ‘not for sale’ stance was simply too high in a summer already defined by heavy spending from the Red Devils.
While strengthening midfield is undoubtedly a key priority for United and Ruben Amorim moving forward – despite Casemiro’s resurgence so far this season – it is a task that has effectively been postponed, with the January transfer window now fast approaching.
Despite links with Baleba, United focused their summer business on attacking reinforcements, with Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko all arriving for a combined total of more than £200 million. Even so, links with Mbeumo’s Cameroon teammate have not faded and an opportunity may still arise in future windows.
This season, Baleba has made 14 appearances across all competitions for Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton side but is yet to score or assist in what has been a relatively slow start to the campaign. The Seagulls currently sit mid-table in 16th place with 16 points from their 11 matches to date.
Cameroon suffered a disappointing exit from World Cup qualifying this week – a 1-0 defeat to DR Congo in a play-off semi-final. Baleba, who had been booked in the first half of the match in Morocco, was substituted at half-time before his side conceded a late winner from Congo’s Chancel Mbemba.
The player has since taken to Instagram with a pointed message. He re-shared an image of former Brighton teammate Joao Pedro, now at Premier League rivals Chelsea, accompanied by the caption: “Don’t try rush what God is taking time to prepare.”
Carlos Baleba’s Instagram story(Image: Instagram)
The young midfielder joined Brighton from Ligue 1 side Lille for £23 million in the summer of 2023, following Moises Caicedo’s move from the Amex to Chelsea. He remains under contract with Brighton until 2028, with an option to extend to 2029, leaving the club under no pressure to sell one of their key players any time soon.
Earlier this season, Hurzeler addressed Baleba’s mixed start to the campaign and admitted that the summer links with United may have played a role in his dip in form. “For sure, when a young boy reads there is interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep, deep (down),” the Premier League boss said in a press conference back in September.
“That’s also part of the development – to understand that when you play well, there comes a big offer, there comes a big club who wants to have him.
“But then to keep pushing, to be humble, stay here in Brighton, and try to make the next step with the team – that’s something we have to keep working on with him, and therefore I can’t give you a clear answer if it’s really affected him or not.”
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