United now plotting move to sign another Brighton midfielder after ending Baleba pursuit – report

A new Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder has landed on Manchester United’s radar.  Brighton’s Carlos Baleba was high on United’s list of midfield targets last summer, but the Seagulls’ exorbitant asking price, thought to be upwards of £100 million, prevented the Red Devils from making any progress. Brighton are not willing to offer a significant discount this summer either, which has led United to focus on alternatives. Interestingly, one such name also plays for the south coast outfit. Manchester United interested in Yasin Ayari According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United are monitoring Yasin Ayari, who is raising eyebrows with his performances at the World Cup. The 22-year-old Swedish midfielder scored a brace in his country’s 5-1 win over Tunisia.  It is understood that the Premier League’s leading clubs are all aware of Ayari, who also enjoyed a promising Premier League campaign, having gained Fabian Hurzeler’s trust.  Apart from Premier League clubs, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid have shown interest in the Sweden international, but it is claimed that if Ayari does move, he is likely to have options in the Premier League. Ayari has 12 months remaining on his contract, though Brighton have an option to extend it by a further year. “There could be plenty of midfield movement this summer and Ayari’s performances across the Atlantic will only help his cause,” the report adds. Yasin Ayari has been likened to Mateus Fernandes One reason why Ayari appears to have impressed Hurzeler more than Baleba as a defensive midfielder is due to his hard work and creativity.  The report states: “Though not as eye-catching in duels as Carlos Baleba, last season Ayari still won 102 – the same number as his fellow midfielder. He is also impressive on the ball, keeping Brighton ticking over in the centre of the pitch.” The Brighton youngster has been compared to Mateus Fernandes, who is being chased by United. In the event that United fail to find an agreement with West Ham United, they could explore the possibility of signing Ayari, who may be available for a more reasonable fee given his dwindling contract. Featured image Michael Campanella via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!