Sources: Newcastle given encouragement Carlos Baleba pursuit

Brighton and Hove Albion will listen to “suitable” offers for Newcastle United target Carlos Baleba in the last weeks of the window, sources have told Football Insider.

The Magpies have set their sights on the 22-year-old midfielder following the exits of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

A deal could be tricky to pull off with Baleba currently injured and Brighton placing high price tags on their key players.

However, Brighton would consider letting the Cameroon international leave if Newcastle make them an offer they feel they cannot refuse.

Matthias Jaissle is in desperate need of reinforcements in the remaining weeks of the transfer window after a series of high-profile exits.

So far, five players have come through the door at St James’ Park, with two being goalkeepers.

How good is Carlos Baleba?

Baleba has emerged as an important player at Brighton for the past three seasons.

The midfielder made 31 appearances in the Premier League in the 2025-26 campaign, which helped the club finish eighth and qualify for the Conference League.

Despite not being a star player in the squad, the Cameroon international had many solid defensive stats last season, which no doubt attracted Newcastle's interest.

According to Fotmob on 14 August, he was averaging 2.00 tackles, 1.57 interceptions, 5.69 recoveries, 0.65 times possession was won in the final third, 1.73 clearances and 1.57 aerial duels won with an overall success rate of 58.0 per cent per 90 minutes in the Premier League.

Therefore, if Newcastle can secure the transfer, Baleba could go a long way in securing the club’s midfield for years to come.

How does Baleba compare to Sandro Tonali?

While Baleba is perhaps not as good as Tonali, the midfielder is just as solid as the Italy international defensively.

According to Fotmob, Tonali averaged 1.24 tackles, 1.10 interceptions, 5.20 recoveries, 0.53 times possession was won in the final third, 1.31 clearances and 0.46 aerial duels won with an overall success rate of 50.0 per cent per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season.

Therefore, while Newcastle may not be able to fully replace Tonali this transfer window, they can get in someone who is more defensively solid.

However, it remains to be seen if the Magpies are able to strike a deal for Baleba in the coming weeks as the transfer window nears its conclusion.