Manchester United are exploring a move for Carlos Baleba but are expected to have to pay a transfer record for an African player if they can persuade Brighton to sell the Cameroon midfielder.
It is understood United have identified Baleba, who excelled for Fabian Hürzeler’s side last season, as a potential long-term solution for their issues in central midfield. The 21-year-old has three years on his contract, which Brighton have an option to extend by 12 months.
Sources close to Baleba have indicated he is keen to join United if an agreement can be reached. Brighton are adamant he is not for sale, and it is understood it would require an offer well above the £72m Arsenal paid Lille for Ivory Coast forward Nicolas Pépé in 2019 to tempt them into changing their stance. It has been suggested it may take more than £100m to sign a player rated as one of the best emerging talents in world football.
Any United bid for Baleba is understood to be dependent on players being moved on, with Chelsea still in talks over a deal for Alejandro Garnacho and Milan interested in Rasmus Højlund. They have been trying to offload two other attackers, Jadon Sancho and Antony, who are on big wages. United have spent more than £200m this summer on the forwards Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, another Cameroon international.
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Baleba, who joined Brighton in 2023 from Lille for £23m, told the Guardian earlier this year that he was happy at Brighton but admitted he wanted “to do more”. He said: “I want to be a big midfielder, to be a legend, across the world.”
Brighton’s chief executive, Paul Barber, said last week at a fans’ forum that United had yet to be in touch but acknowledged Baleba could leave. “Carlos is a fantastic talent,” he said. “We hope he’ll be here for years to come – but it’s subject to the dynamics of the football world, which isn’t always predictable.”
Liverpool are considering a move for the Parma centre-half Giovanni Leoni as they look to increase Arne Slot’s defensive options. The 18-year-old impressed in the second half of last season, making 17 appearances, and has attracted interest from several Serie A clubs this summer, including Inter. Their coach, Cristian Chivu, was in charge at Parma last season.
Liverpool are also keen on the 6ft 5in defender and ready to step up their interest if they receive encouragement that he is open to leaving Italy. The Premier League champions have not made an approach to Parma.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi remains Liverpool’s main defensive target and Steve Parish, the Palace chair, conceded after Sunday’s Community Shield that it would be better to sell the England international than lose him for nothing next summer. Liverpool hope Palace will lower their asking price for the 25-year-old as transfer deadline approaches. The champions could move for Guéhi and Leoni this summer.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté are the only established central defenders available to Slot for Friday’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth. Liverpool have sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen and Joe Gomez missed the final games of preseason with a minor Achilles injury. Slot admitted after the Community Shield penalty shoot-out defeat by Palace that Liverpool’s defending in preseason had been a cause for concern.
Tottenham have opened talks over a move for Eberechi Eze, whose £68m release clause expires on Friday, and are pushing to beat Arsenal to the Crystal Palace attacker. Arsenal have indicated they need to make sales in attack before pressing ahead with their pursuit of the England international.
The delay from Arsenal, who are looking for buyers for Leandro Trossard, has opened the door for Spurs to act on their long-standing interest. Thomas Frank, the new Spurs manager, needs attacking additions after losing James Maddison to a long-term knee injury and missing out on the signing of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White. They can offer Champions League football to Eze after winning the Europa League last season. – Guardian
