Manchester United are closing in on signing Benjamin Sesko and are now looking to bring in another midfielder.
Manchester United’s Premier League campaign kicks off in just over a week, with Ruben Amorim looking for a positive start against Arsenal.
United have snapped up Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, offering a major boost to Amorim’s attacking options.
The additions up top may not be done just yet, though, as United are now closing in on signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
A deal for the Slovenian won’t be cheap, but United are already looking to splash more cash on a new midfielder.
United are keen on signing Carlos Baleba from Brighton and Hove Albion, though he won’t come cheap.
Brighton and Hove Albion chief on Carlos Baleba
Baleba has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most impressive midfielders, having joined the Seagulls from Lille in 2023.
Viewed as a long-term replacement for Moises Caicedo, Baleba has become a destructive force in the middle of the pitch.
Baleba would be a fantastic addition to United’s engine room, but Brighton are unlikely to sell easily.
Initial reports from David Ornstein suggested that United had made contact for Baleba through intermediaries, gauging the potential interest before ramping up major talks.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has now been quoted by Sky Sports as saying that he hasn’t heard directly from United.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that United’s interest in Baleba isn’t legitimate, though, especially amid claims that contact was made through intermediaries.
Barber branded Baleba a ‘fantastic’ player and admitted that he wants to keep the midfielder rather than cash in this summer.
Barber wants to see Baleba in a Brighton shirt for years to come, but accepts that the market is ‘unpredictable’ and couldn’t completely rule out a move.
“We have some great talent. There’s always going to be interest in our players,” said Barber. “Manchester Utd have not been in touch with me, so from that point of view, speculation’s speculation.
“We will always as I said earlier try and make sure that we sell our best players at the right time not just for the player but also for us and if we end up doing that with any player it is with a view to leaving Fabian [Hurzeler] with a very competitive squad whatever happens but we don’t want to sell our best players.
“Carlos is a fantastic, fantastic talent. He’s got a lot of years ahead of him and we hope he will be here for many years to come, but it’s something that, as always, is subject to the dynamics of the football world that is not always predictable,” he added.
Carlos Baleba has close connections at Manchester United
Fabrizio Romano claims that Baleba has not closed the door on United, though any talks with Brighton could prove tricky.
The Seagulls tend to command huge prices for their top stars, and Baleba certainly fits that bill.
Baleba may be interested in the move, though, especially as he has connections to some United stars.
The 21-year-old is a Cameroon international, picking up seven caps for his country.
That means Baleba is an international teammate of both Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo, and the trio could join forces at Old Trafford.
Baleba also emerged at Lille alongside Leny Yoro, and the prospect of rejoining some familiar faces could be appealing.
A deal seems a little unlikely as things stand due to Brighton’s expected asking price, but United will hope to tempt Baleba into reuniting with some of his former teammates.
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