Man Utd want to sign the Brighton ace in the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.
Manchester United have not given up hope of a deal to sign Carlos Baleba in the summer transfer window. Ruben Amorim wants to add a mobile midfielder to his squad before deadline day, with the 21-year-old viewed as the perfect fit for the current tactical approach.
It is understood Baleba would be interested in a move to Old Trafford this summer, though the Cameroon international is not expected to push for a transfer and would be quite happy to remain on the South Coast for another year if necessary. Any deal is complicated by the fact Brighton are adamant the midfielder is not for sale and they would only sanction a transfer if the offer matched their demands.
Brighton have not yet indicated their specific demands to any potential suitor but it is understood they would command a fee of at least £100 million for a sale this summer. It means United would likely need to pay a club-record fee to sign the youngster and eclipse the £89.3m spent to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in August 2016.
Read More
Romano issues Baleba update
The good news for Manchester United supporters is that their team are still hopeful of a deal for Carlos Baleba, even if it currently seems unlikely. United are trying to work out just how much a deal would actually cost them and whether they will be able to finance it from prospective player exits.
United have yet to sanction a permanent exit for any player this summer and have received a loan offer from Roma for Jadon Sancho. The preference has always been to sell their unwanted stars during the window, but there is an appreciation that they might have to settle for loans instead.
With the pursuit of Baleba still ongoing, Fabrizio Romano provided an update on United's transfer hopes: "For Carlos Baleba, the contacts are still ongoing. This is a difficult deal for Manchester United, not just financially but also in terms of strategy,” he said in his latest YouTube video.
"Brighton at the moment are still not giving an official number to Manchester United. They did a similar situation with Moises Caicedo two years ago when he went to Chelsea, they were not giving a number, not giving an indication. Then when Liverpool arrived with an official bid, Chelsea offered a bit more and signed the player. Brighton are not giving a number for Baleba and keep saying they do not want to sell.
"What is important to mention is Manchester United are still there, still in contact with the agents, still working on a deal. They want to understand how high is the wall from Brighton but they are still working on the Carlos Baleba. They are not giving up. Difficult? Yes. Very difficult? Of course. But, Man United are still there.
"The player is not closing the doors at all. Personal terms are not a problem, European football for Baleba is not a problem. He would go to Man United immediately, I can guarantee that. But club to club, we are still far from a solution."
READ NEXT:Eight players Manchester United will sell and five they will keep in final weeks of transfer window
Continue Reading