Brighton are holding firm in their stance over Carlos Baleba, and the Seagulls have two potential replacements waiting if they were to sell the player to Manchester United
Carlos Baleba (L) fights for the ball Manchester United's Moroccan defender #03 Noussair Mazraoui during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton
Carlos Baleba's potential move to Old Trafford may be helped by the fact Brighton already have ready-made alternatives
(Image: IAN HODGSON, AFP via Getty Images)
If Manchester United manage to secure the signing of Carlos Baleba this month, Brighton won't be left in the lurch.
In fact, Fabian Hurzeler's squad may already have the necessary replacements lined up following reports of fresh negotiations with the Red Devils. After splashing out around £200million on a new attacking trio, United are now focusing on bolstering their midfield, and Brighton's dynamic midfielder tops their list.
The Sun suggested United are continuing talks with Baleba's agents despite Brighton demanding a fee similar to the £115m Chelsea shelled out for Moises Caicedo two years ago.
This strategy has made the Seagulls a model of success in recent transfer windows. Brighton snap up young, promising talent, developing them into first-team stars, selling them for a substantial profit and then repeating the process.
With United showing interest in Brighton's latest star, Baleba seemed to send a subtle hint to the club's supporters over the weekend by liking Leny Yoro's post on Instagram. The Mirror reported the pair are close friends, having played together at Ligue 1 side Lille before Baleba moved to Brighton, and an Old Trafford reunion may just be on the cards.
The Cameroonian has flourished in the position that previously brought the best out of Caicedo and Yves Bissouma, and he too has potential replacements waiting in the wings. Much like Baleba, a campaign or two is all that may be required to demonstrate Brighton may have discovered more exceptional talent, particularly if their recent achievements are any indicator.
Midfield talents Diego Gomez and Malick Yalcouye are the next players worth keeping an eye on in Baleba's deep-lying midfield role. Gomez especially has already left his mark following an £11m transfer from Inter Miami this past January.
Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez (R) celebrates the former's goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Brighton
Diego Gomez (R) and Jack Hinshelwood (centre) are among Brighton's options to replace Baleba in midfield
"When I saw him running - he was running during our training sessions – I saw a beast," Hurzeler said about the player when speaking in January. "[It] is unbelievable how intense he can play football, and he proved it in the MLS. Of course, it is a different league, different profile. But in the end, it is exactly that what we want to have – physicality. We needed this physicality."
The German coach continued by saying he was "really happy" with the Paraguayan's mentality and "really looking forward to working with him." The groundwork has been laid this summer, with Gomez featuring prominently in pre-season as Yalcouye has also got a look-in with the first team.
Gomez, 22, featured in 16 Premier League matches during the latter half of last season and netted his maiden goal for the club on the campaign's final day. He also has 15 senior international caps for Paraguay already, having earned his full debut at 19.
Malick Yalcouye shoots to score during the World Friendly International match between Netherlands U21 and Ivory Coast U23
Malick Yalcouye impressed on loan in Austria last season
Yalcouye, 19, is at a different stage in his career, having only made his debut for the Ivory Coast's Under-23s this summer. The teen signed with Brighton in July 2024 from Swedish team Goteborg for £7.6m, equating to a total spend of £18.6m alongside Gomez, before he joined Austrian side Sturm Graz on loan last term.
Mali-born Yalcouye brings slightly different attributes to the table at around 5'7, though he offers a versatile game of his own. Despite joining Brighton as a central midfielder, he spent most of his time in Austria playing on either wing, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 26 league matches.
And it's not as if Hurzeler's Baleba alternatives are limited to these two prospects. Mats Wieffer, Matt O'Riley, Yasin Ayari and Jack Hinshelwood are among those who shared midfield minutes with Baleba last season, each capable of taking on more defensive roles in that area.
This may not influence Brighton's hardened position on selling Baleba. However, the abundance of potential solutions in his role might make the south-coast club more open to a deal.
From United's perspective, nothing changes, as making such a move towards the end of an already costly window becomes their main priority. Ruben Amorim knows United need to offload more players this month, with Chelsea in discussions to sign winger Alejandro Garnacho.