Brighton could encourage Man United in bid to sign Carlos Baleba for cut-price fee
Manchester United could reignite their interest in Carlos Baleba if they are given encouragement by Brighton, sources have told Football Insider.
The 22-year-old was a top target for Man United last summer, before Brighton placed a £100million price tag on him and ended any speculation over his future.
After what proved to be a frustrating season amid suggestions his head had been turned by the top clubs watching him, Man United's interest was believed to have cooled.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Brighton may be prepared to drop Baleba's asking price, leading to fresh interest.
Man United could step up their efforts to sign the Cameroon international should his price tag be lowered, having already missed out on a number of midfield targets this summer.
Following Elliot Anderson's move to Man City, and Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali joining Tottenham, Michael Carrick's side have been forced to consider alternatives.
Could Man United make a move for Carlos Baleba?
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider last month that Baleba could be allowed to leave Brighton this summer, placing the Red Devils on alert.
Despite having originally planned to sign other targets, they have been forced to look further down their shortlist, where the Brighton star remains an option.
Should the Seagulls open the door for his departure in the coming weeks, Man United are preparing to make a move as they continue to keep tabs on his situation.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "I still think there's midfielders on the radar for Man United. They'll be obviously delighted to get a deal for Andrey Santos over the line.
"They might revisit a potential deal for Carlos Baleba at Brighton who they were interested in signing last summer and is still very much on their radar.
"And if they get an indication that Brighton could maybe drop their asking price for Baleba, then they might step up their interest in him.
How does Baleba feel about leaving Brighton?
Man United's renewed interest in signing Baleba has come amid ongoing speculation about his future at the Amex, following what was a disappointing season for him.
The Seagulls have qualified for the Europa Conference League, but the midfielder's displays have been widely questioned, leading interest in his availability to cool.
Football Insider revealed following United's attempts to sign Baleba last summer that his head had been turned by their initial bid, and that had led to concerns at Brighton.
Fabian Hurzeler added fuel to the fire during Brighton's 2-2 draw with Tottenham in September, as the manager confessed the Cameroonian had been impacted by the speculation.
A mid-season deal was then considered difficult, but one year on, Man United could now step up their interest with Brighton set to make a clear decision over Baleba's future.