Manchester United’s pursuit of Carlos Baleba has taken another twist as the transfer battle for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder heats up according to the latest report.
Spurs join the hunt
Sports Boom reveals Tottenham Hotspur have “joined the race” for Baleba alongside the Red Devils after making contact to strike a deal.
Thomas Frank, who took over from Ange Postecoglou in north London this summer, is said to be an “admirer” of the 21-year-old midfielder.
Liverpool have also been identified as a potential suitor with the Merseyside club closely monitoring the situation at the Amex Stadium ahead of a potential raid in January.
United’s bitter rivals in the north west have also been linked with Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson – two alternatives under consideration at Old Trafford.
But Baleba appears to remain the Red Devils’ first-choice target to upgrade Ruben Amorim’s engine room with the Cameroon international “highly-rated” by United’s head coach, according to Sports Boom.
In fact, Fabrizio Romano even contends United’s pursuit of Baleba will be influenced by Amorim’s position at Old Trafford, suggesting if the former Sporting manager is dismissed by INEOS the club may not follow up their interest next year.
Baleba has his heart set on Old Trafford
INEOS remain fully committed to Amorim, however, and are prepared to give him more time, and potential investment in January, to get things right at the Theatre of Dreams.
And if Baleba is revisited as a target, Sports Boom reveals United have an inside track on their Premier League rivals as the midfield starlet wants to join the Mancunian club as his priority.
“Our sources understand Manchester United is the 21-year-old Cameroon international preferred destination when the January transfer window opens,” the report states.
Brighton are very unlikely to be willing to entertain offers in the winter window, however. And even if they were, the possibility of United stumping up the £100 million plus fee it would take to get the Seagulls to do business is even more remote.
But this is equally true for Liverpool and Spurs with clubs reticent to spend huge sums in January, meaning any successful pursuit of Baleba will come next summer.
Featured image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
