Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is reportedly not agitating for a summer move amid links to Arsenal and other Premier League clubs.
The 20-year-old left his native Cameroon for Europe in 2022, joining French club Lille. Eighteen months later, he signed with Premier League side Brighton in a £23million deal, following the departures of Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea.
Back in November, Arsenal were listed among the clubs with a long-standing interest in the Cameroon international, but Brighton currently face no pressure to sell. However, with the summer transfer window approaching, Baleba could attract renewed interest.
The Athletic's David Ornstein has delivered an update on the 21-year-old, claiming he has 'many admirers' after enjoying a superb couple of years on the south coast.
However, there is no suggestion that Baleba is pushing for a transfer, and it’s claimed that Brighton would only consider letting him go for a 'king's ransom.'
According to Ornstein, no club is currently prepared to go to 'such lengths.'
That said, Brighton owner Tony Bloom is understood to be among the operators in the market, where these situations are controlled 'particularly well.'
Meanwhile, Baleba remains unfazed by the speculation and is focused on continuing his development.
"I don’t really think like that: playing for two or three years and then leaving. Me? I just work. In my head, it’s all about working and helping my club," he previously told Sky Sports.
"If I can help a team-mate, I will. If they can help me, I’ll accept that help to push forward and develop. So, I just work to help my team and for myself, to progress for the future. In return, everyone who helps me wants me to go to the highest level. And if there are big clubs who want me, it’s not something that worries me or gets me excited. I just need to work hard and keep a cool head.
"I don’t know if I’m going to be the star or the next big thing. For me, being the star is quite a lot. Everyone talking about you, singing your name? That just doesn’t do it for me. It’s not something that gets me running. I just prefer getting my head down and working on the pitch."
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