Manchester United's pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba is not dead in the water, according to a report by Dylan McBennett.
The Red Devils have already completed the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to bolster their midfield, as they move ahead with a major rebuild following the departure of Casemiro and the injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte.
But the club are yet to make a final decision on who the third midfield signing will be, with INEOS adamant they will not overpay in an expensive market. A number of names have been linked to Old Trafford, and Baleba remains a long-term target, which means no deal is dead at this stage.
Baleba Could Push for Man Utd Transfer
brighton carlos baleba
Baleba, who has been described as 'world-class', was a target for the Reds last summer, but Brighton's £100m valuation put them off proceeding at the time.
The Cameroon international went on to have a difficult season, with many suggesting that the interest from Old Trafford had turned his head. It's now understood that Brighton are open to a sale in this window if they get the right offer, with their asking price believed to have dropped to around £80m.
But United don't value him at that price, and as a result have been looking at alternative options. However, it has now emerged that they have not made a final decision yet, and a move for Baleba is still considered to be a 'very real possibility'.
In fact, the 22-year-old has even been tipped to potentially push for a move to go through, having already agreed personal terms with the club last year, and with fresh talks being opened earlier this week.
With no final decision made yet, United remain open to the possibility of signing Baleba in this window, and the situation remains one to keep a close eye on in the final weeks of the transfer window.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Baleba the Perfect Midfield Addition
Carlos Baleba during a Brighton & Hove Albion pre-match warm-upvia Reuters
Man Utd are looking to have more control of games in the coming season, and that means better ball retention in midfield. It also means they need to win the ball back quicker when they're out of possession, and Baleba helps with all of that.
His attributes are exactly what the club are understood to be targeting, and he is at the perfect age to make the step up and continue to develop and improve. He also fits in perfectly alongside all of the current midfield options.
Brighton are known to be stern negotiators, but sometimes as the buying club you have to just pay the money to sign the player that your team needs, and this feels like one of those situations for Man Utd.
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The 48m signing has now made two appearances for the Red Devils since his move from Chelsea this summer.