Brighton Slaps Eye-Watering Price Tag on Man Utd's Carlos Baleba Chase
Brighton & Hove Albion are said to be seeking €120 million (£104 million, $139.4 million) for Carlos Baleba as Manchester United consider a potential swoop for the 21-year-old midfielder.
Brighton's players, particularly their midfielders, have become highly sought-after assets in the Premier League recently. Moisés Caicedo famously commanded a British transfer record fee of £115 million ($154.7 million) when Chelsea secured the Ecuadorian's services, with the player subsequently establishing himself as one of the finest in his role.
Manchester United's requirement for defensive midfield reinforcement is widely acknowledged, though the practicality of pursuing Baleba is complicated by Brighton's substantial asking price.
The Seagulls are requesting €120 million, according to ESPN. The Red Devils have yet to initiate direct discussions with their Premier League counterparts regarding a potential deal, though Baleba is reportedly content to remain at the AMEX Stadium this season before giving serious thought to a departure next summer. Lille, the Cameroon international's previous club, are also believed to hold a 20% sell-on clause which may account for Brighton's steep valuation.
United's chase of Benjamin Šeško makes Baleba's arrival even less probable. The Slovenian striker is expected to complete his medical with the Red Devils and will allegedly cost Man Utd an initial €76.5 million (£66.4 million, $89.2 million) this summer as Ruben Amorim bolsters his attack with a new forward alongside the summer acquisitions of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
The midfield would presumably be the next priority for improvement given Amorim's inclination to rotate extensively in his debut season. Looking ahead to the upcoming campaign, the Portuguese manager has Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes available for his midfield partnership, though among the more defensively-oriented choices, none have cemented themselves as a guaranteed starter apart from club captain Fernandes.
Nevertheless, Fernandes has excelled more in his role as one of the two attacking midfielders within the 3-4-2-1 formation.
Man Utd also possess young prospect Toby Collyer as an alternative, but chose to let Christian Eriksen depart following his contract expiration at the conclusion of last season. Should Man Utd succeed in continuing to move on Amorim's surplus players like Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, a midfielder acquisition might become more feasible before the transfer window closes on Sept. 1.