David Tully Aug 14th 2025
Brighton have NOT set an asking price for Man United transfer target Carlos Baleba, according to The Athletic reporter David Ornstein.
There have been multiple reports suggesting that the Seagulls will demand in excess of £100m for the Cameroon international but Ornstein says no valuation has been placed on the player:
“They’d prefer to keep him for at least another year, and to our knowledge Brighton haven’t put a price on Carlos Baleba yet. If that price comes and it’s too high for Manchester United, then they’ll presumably go away.”
“If it’s achievable, then maybe they’ll follow up the case. If they don’t get him, do they look to somebody else because it really is important for Ruben Amorim and the club?”
Man United will have to bid blindly for Baleba
Brighton’s usual transfer policy is not to give out information to potential suitors when it comes to the prices of their players.
Owner Tony Bloom is a former poker player, and he prefers to keep his cards close to his chest. It’s a negotiating tactic that forces interested clubs to make bids blindly.
That means United will simply have to make an offer and find out whether the Seagulls are willing to talk.
Are any other midfielders being targeted?
At the moment, Baleba seems to be the top option being pursued. Other targets have been considered, including Sporting Lisbon’s Morten Hjulmand, Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka and Atalanta’s Ederson.
However, Baleba is the only one who possesses all the traits that head coach Ruben Amorim is looking for in a midfielder. He’s energetic, athletic and able to cover the ground, while he has the ability to take on opponents in possession and carry the ball up the pitch.
Read more about the Manchester United First Team Squad for 2025/26 here
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World’s Football News Network.
