Carlos Baleba to Man United transfer verdict delivered by “very, very, very confident” Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler

Fabian Hurzeler believes that Manchester United-linked midfielder Carlos Baleba will remain at Brighton & Hove Albion beyond the September 1 transfer deadline.

After spending over £200m to build a new front three of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, the Red Devils are keen to bolster Ruben Amorim’s squad with a new central midfielder.

Baleba is believed to be at the top of Man United’s wishlist and speculation surrounding a potential move for the Cameroon international has intensified over the last week, with the player said to be open to making the move to Old Trafford.

It has been reported that Man United chiefs are preparing to put together a package worth an initial £80m plus add-ons, but it is understood that Brighton have no desire to sell and will only entertain offers North of £100m.

Baleba’s pre-season has been disrupted by a knee injury, but he has made progress in his recovery at Brighton’s training complex this week and Hurzeler has insisted that the 21-year-old is “enjoying” life as a Seagulls player.

Hurzeler confident Baleba will stay at Brighton despite Man Utd rumours

Hurzeler was asked how confident he is that Baleba will remain a Brighton player beyond the transfer window at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash at home to Fulham, and he said: “Very, very, very confident”.

Explaining why, Hurzeler briefly replied: “Just my belief.”

The Seagulls boss has also confirmed that Baleba “is an option to start” against Fulham and has insisted that he has seen no change in the midfielder’s mindset amid transfer speculation.

“I didn't see any change. He only changed his hair, so I think that was the only change he made in the last two weeks,” said Hurzeler.

“But overall, he seems to be in a really good place. He's enjoying it with his teammates, he's enjoying being a Brighton player.

“He's very grateful to have the process he had in the last season, so I didn't see any big change, and he's an option to start for tomorrow.”

Man United keeping tabs on potential Baleba alternatives

Baleba has developed into one of the brightest deep-lying midfield prospects in the Premier League since joining Brighton from Lille for around £23m in 2023, making 77 first-team appearances across all competitions.

However, Brighton’s reluctance to sell Baleba or lower their asking price could force Man United to wait until next summer to reignite their interest in the midfielder, who still has three years remaining on his contract at the Amex Stadium.

It has recently been reported that Man United have identified fellow 21-year-old Mikel Jauregizar from Athletic Bilbao as a potential alternative to Baleba, with his 'versatility' and 'ability to cover large areas of the pitch' said to make him an attractive proposition for the Red Devils.

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand is also believed to be on Man United’s radar and is familiar to Amorim, who worked with the Denmark international during his time in charge of the Portuguese giants.