Manchester United will allegedly not use Toby Collyer as a potential makeweight in a deal for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba despite the recent reports.
The Red Devils are closing in on the signing of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, and their attention is already on another potential arrival, with the club keen to bring in a new midfielder before the transfer deadline.
Brighton's Baleba has reportedly been identified as their leading target in that area, but the Seagulls are believed to want as much as £104m for the 21-year-old during this summer's transfer window.
Man United are believed to be considering using one or two players as potential makeweights in order to drive down the amount of money that they would have to pay.
Collyer has been mentioned in those reports, but according to the Manchester Evening News, the Englishman will not be included in a potential swap deal for the Cameroon international.
Manchester United's Toby Collyer on March 9, 2025
Collyer will not be used in 'potential Baleba swap deal'
Collyer came through the youth system at Brighton, joining the club at the age of 11, and he progressed to the Under-23s before making the move to Man United's academy in March 2022.
The midfielder has made 13 first-team appearances for Man United, including six outings in the Premier League, but he could struggle for action during the 2025-26 campaign, particularly if a new midfielder arrives.
There have been claims that Collyer could leave on loan, and he addressed his future during the team's pre-season tour of the United States.
"I think first and foremost I want to be here and play as many games for Man United as possible," said Collyer. "I'll sit down with the manager and higher-ups and see what's the best solution for that. The best way for me to develop, whether it's stay here or go on loan.
"The end goal for me is to play as many minutes as possible here, hopefully starting every week. So yeah, I'll sit down with them.
"Obviously, my feeling at this moment is I want to stay. I want to play as many games as possible. I've not really thought that far ahead to be honest. I'll just see how the next few weeks go and then we'll go over those conversations.
"I'll be able to sit down with them and see what's the best solution for that. But yeah, like you said there as well, obviously there's not a lot of time in football. You need to get the results and get the team progressing. So that's what we're working towards at the minute."
Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte on December 7, 2024
Could any other Man United players be used in Baleba move?
There have been suggestions that Man United could look to use Kobbie Mainoo or Manuel Ugarte as part of a deal, with the club willing to let one of those two leave if it means bringing in Baleba.
Mainoo has seen his career stall at Old Trafford after bursting onto the scene, while Ugarte struggled to make his mark last season following a move from Paris Saint-Germain.
At this stage, though, a move for Baleba looks unlikely due to the complex nature of the deal, with Brighton said to be planning to keep hold of the midfielder for one more season before selling him for mega money in 2026.
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