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Carlos Baleba was briefly linked with Manchester United last summer, but the move never materialised. The Red Devils were looking to upgrade their squad after a disappointing 2024/25 season, in which they finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
The English giants were considering succession plans for Casemiro, who was coming off a mixed campaign, and Baleba was identified as the ideal candidate for the role. However, United preferred to focus on their frontline, signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
The Premier League giants also added Senne Lammens to their squad before the end of the transfer window in a bid to bolster their goalkeeping position and Baleba ended up staying at Brighton & Hove Albion. Casemiro, meanwhile, has been outstanding this season, but is now set to leave this summer as a free agent. The Red Devils are expected to rekindle their interest Baleba at the end of the campaign, although he has not been at his best of late.
Baleba’s struggles this season
Baleba was outstanding for the Seagulls last campaign, prompting United to take note and consider a move last year. However, it appears that the intense speculation regarding his future may have had an adverse impact on his performances.
The Cameroonian has registered 25 appearances in all competitions this season, all but four of which have been starts.
Carlos Baleba Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 21 | 18 | – | – | 5 | – | 1,191′ |
| EFL Cup | 3 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | 167′ |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 62′ |
| Total | 25 | 21 | – | – | 7 | – | 1,420′ |
Source: Transfermarkt.
His lack of form has impacted the Seagulls as well, who now sit 14th in the league table after 26 games. While Baleba has shown signs of improvement following an impressive run at AFCON with Cameroon, he is still a shadow of the player who lit up the Amex last season.
The situation has raised questions about the proposed move to Old Trafford, especially with Brighton reportedly set to demand at least £100 million for the 22 year old. The player has now opened up about his struggles on the pitch.
Baleba opens up on form
Speaking to Sky Sports, Baleba insisted that he feels a lot more relaxed at the moment. He said: “I feel more relaxed now. The noise about me outside, I didn’t understand. I didn’t look on the websites. I’m more focused on me, myself and for my team-mates.”
The Cameroonian also acknowledged that he needs to improve, adding: “All my qualities, I need to improve on that. The most of the qualities I have is I need to enjoy more football, because when I play, I’m so serious that I want to do the right thing or to do the proper thing on the pitch.”
Finally, the player revealed that the coaching staff at Brighton, as well as his team-mates, have advised him to enjoy football. He said: “All of them told me to be free, to be relaxed and just enjoy and think about football.”
Baleba is under contract at the Amex until 2028, so Brighton have the upper hand in negotiations at the moment.
Final Thoughts
United are also eyeing other Premier League-proven midfielders at the moment, including Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. The Nottingham Forest midfielder has been in peak form this season, so the Red Devils could be tempted to make him their priority target this summer.
Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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