Carlos Baleba’s eye-catching qualities were on full display after the Brighton midfielder excelled in one key area over a fan-favourite Manchester United player.
Manchester United have been linked with Carlos Baleba and the Red Devils’ interest picked up on Wednesday over the 21-year-old Cameroonian defensive midfielder.
The Red Devils made contact with Brighton over Baleba via ‘intermediaries’ and United have had to ‘explore the conditions’ around a potential move for the player.
That is according to David Ornstein, who reported for The Athletic that the Red Devils would have to ‘secure a raft of lucrative sales’ before moving for Baleba.
Baleba has been making a real name for himself at Brighton and the Cameroon international has caught the eye of United amid the summer transfer market.
David Ornstein suggested that there is ‘recognition on all sides’ that a move for Baleba is ‘unrealistic’ if United sign Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
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Manchester United-linked midfielder Carlos Baleba looks on during the Premier League match between Brighton and Wolves at the Amex Stadium in 2024 in Brighton, England.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
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Man Utd-linked Carlos Baleba produced a Brighton stat that not even former teammate Leny Yoro could eclipse at Lille
Carlos Baleba played alongside Manchester United defender Leny Yoro at Ligue 1 outfit Lille before Premier League side Brighton landed the midfielder in 2023.
Leny Yoro made a name for himself at Lille before the highly rated 19-year-old centre-back completed his big-money move to Old Trafford last summer.
During the United star’s final season at the French side, Yoro showed exactly why the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain were interested in him.
The CIES Football Observatory on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, reported in April 2024 a key stat featuring both Baleba and Yoro.
Yoro was the second-best under-23 player in Europe’s top eight leagues for the highest percentage of aerial duels won, with the ex-Lille star holding 70.7 per cent.
However, the United ace’s aerial ability was only bettered by none other than former Lille teammate Baleba, who had 73.7 per cent of his aerial defensive duels won.
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Carlos Baleba’s aerial defensive duel record vs Leny Yoro shows exactly why Ruben Amorim needs him at Man Utd
United were deeply exposed in the Premier League last season and, at one point, the Red Devils were left helpless against teams over set pieces in the campaign.
Leny Yoro has become a key part of Ruben Amorim’s tactical system for United and the former Real Madrid target has impressed in the three-man backline for his side.
However, the Red Devils’ lack of physicality under United manager Ruben Amorim is something that needs to be addressed for the 2025-26 campaign at Old Trafford.
Amorim needs a new defensive midfielder for his two-man midfield pivot and Baleba’s defensive and attacking qualities speak volumes during his Brighton spell.
Tipped as the heir-apparent to Moises Caicedo at Brighton, Baleba’s ability to outshine even Yoro in aerial duels shows what he would bring to the party at United.