Carlos Baleba can reignite Man United transfer interest with successful Old Trafford audition

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Manchester United were heavily linked to Carlos Baleba over the summer and now the Brighton star has a chance to impress at Old Trafford.

During the search for a new midfielder, Manchester United were ready to bid for Carlos Baleba, but Brighton’s asking price ultimately meant that the Red Devils walked away.

Reports suggest that United could revisit Baleba in 2026, but that depends on how the 21-year-old performs for the rest of the season.

So far in 2025/26, Baleba has struggled for form and is yet to complete a full 90-minute match for Brighton.

As a result, talk about a move to United has died down, but he has a chance to personally reignite interest on Saturday evening.

Carlos Baleba set for Old Trafford audition

After Sunday’s 2-1 win over Liverpool, next up for United in the Premier League is a visit from Baleba’s Brighton.

Ruben Amorim remains interested in Baleba, and the Portuguese head coach will get a close-up view of the Cameroon midfielder on Saturday.

A strong performance at the Theatre of Dreams will reignite transfer rumours and potentially convince United’s leadership that Baleba’s price tag is worth paying.

According to Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, Baleba has been impacted by United links. Now he has a chance to prove that he is better than Amorim’s current midfield options.

Given that United could sign a midfielder in January, it would be an ideal time for Baleba to catch attention.

Carlos Baleba can follow Matheus Cunha’s success

Last season, United’s links to Matheus Cunha grew throughout the season, and the Brazilian took his opportunity with both hands when he made the trip to Old Trafford.

Baleba is already following Cunha’s footsteps after being linked to United, but there will be extra attention on his performance on Saturday and he will need to prove he can handle the pressure.

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Cunha tore United to shreds during his time at Wolves, and he made it clear with his performance at Old Trafford that he was ready for the big stage.

Amorim will obviously hope to keep Brighton quiet on Saturday and pick up another three points, but there is no doubt he will be keeping a close eye on Baleba’s performance.