Brighton ‘plan to accept new Carlos Baleba offer’, Man United’s stance revealed
Brighton are planning to accept new offers for Carlos Baleba at the end of the season as they believe they can upgrade in the summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old has endured a disappointing season under Fabian Hurzeler, and is no longer considered a vital part of their plans for the future.
Man United were interested in Baleba during last summer’s transfer window, but were quoted a price of over £100million, making the deal impossible to pull of.
Former United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Brighton have now reduced Baleba’s price tag, but remain hopeful of making a significant profit.
The midfielder arrived at the Amex from Lille in 2023 for a fee of £23.2million and the Seagulls hope they will make at least double the money on his sale.
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Brighton now open to accepting Carlos Baleba offer
Football Insider revealed on 23 September that Baleba has had his head turned by Man United after they attempted to sign him in the summer.
That is believed to have directly impacted his performance for Brighton, which have never quite managed to hit the levels he showed in the middle last season.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see Baleba leave Brighton,” Brown told Football Insider.
“What has surprised me is that he seems to have hit a real dip since last season, he looks miles away from the player I first saw at Brighton.
“There was the interest from Man United in the summer, they wanted him but weren’t willing to pay the money Brighton were asking for.
“Since then, he never really seems to have picked back up where he left off.
“I think that’s a concern for Brighton, whether it’s because his head has been turned or whatever the reason is, and I think they could let him go.
“They’ll want to still make a big profit on him, maybe double their money as we know Brighton do so well, but he won’t go for £100million like they were asking before.
“If Baleba isn’t playing at a high level for Brighton, they’ll want to make as much money as possible while his stock is still quite high, that’s the risk they run.
“So if there’s an offer, yeah, I think they’ll listen to it.”
Could Man United make a fresh move for Baleba?
Man United held the most high-profile interest in Baleba last summer, while they were also joined in their pursuit by Liverpool, who were impressed by his displays.
However, there are concerns that his performances for Brighton have impacted the level of interest compared to other options including Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.
Brown told Football Insider that Man United were not impressed by Baleba when they faced Brighton in October and may now have second thoughts about the deal.
Meanwhile, Anderson is believed to be the top target at Old Trafford as he could become available from Nottingham Forest after their dismal season.
He would likely cost a similar fee to Brighton’s initial demand for Baleba, but is very highly regarded amid rival interest from Man City and Liverpool.
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