Manchester United are leading the race to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in 2026 after the Seagulls reduced their valuation from £105million to £74million
Carlos Baleba in action for Brighton
Carlos Baleba was of interest to Manchester United in the summer(Image: Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Manchester United could potentially snap up Brighton and Hove Albion's midfielder Carlos Baleba for less than £75million in 2026, just six months after they were deterred by the Cameroon international's hefty price tag. The Red Devils have been eyeing the 21-year-old for a while and had approached the Seagulls via intermediaries about a possible summer transfer.
Brighton's firm stance and a whopping £105m asking price led United to back off, opting instead to spend £18.2m on goalkeeper Senne Lammens as a replacement for Andre Onana. United's manager Ruben Amorim is keen to bring in a new midfielder when the January transfer window opens.
Alongside Baleba, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton is also high on their wishlist following his standout performances this season. On Sunday, Baleba was taken off during Brighton's Premier League draw against West Ham, marking the 12th time in 13 starts that manager Fabian Hurzeler has chosen to substitute the midfielder.
Hurzeler has publicly questioned Baleba's performance levels, pointing to United's interest in the player over the summer. Now, recent reports suggest that Brighton's position on Baleba's potential departure has softened since the summer.
Sky Sports ' Sacha Tavolieri has reported that they might now entertain offers around €85m (£74.3m), reports the Manchester Evening News. In a further boost for United and Amorim, it's believed that Baleba would prefer a move to United over Bayern Munich. The German champions are reportedly mulling over their own bid for the Cameroonian, amidst uncertainty surrounding Leon Goretzka's future.
However, Tavolieri has suggested that some figures within Bayern are hesitant to meet such a steep asking price for the player. This leaves the door ajar for United to maintain their position as favourites to secure the midfielder's signature, although whether they'll be willing to stump up that sum remains uncertain.
Carlos Baleba
Carlos Baleba has been made to make a money-spinning exit from Brighton
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Back in September, Hurzeler acknowledged his worries that Baleba's difficulties might have been triggered by United's summer pursuit. "For sure, when a young boy reads there is interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep, deep down," he remarked.
"That's also part of the development to understand that when you play well, there comes a big offer, there comes a big club who wants to have him.
"But then to keep pushing, to be humble, stay here in Brighton, and try to make the next step with the team and that's something we have to keep on working with him. I can't give you a clear answer if it's really affected him or not.
"But for sure, he's a young boy and we need to understand he's not a machine that if you click on then he always runs and off then he stops. We need to understand his feelings, his emotions, where he comes from, and that's our responsibility."
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