Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler has admitted midfielder Carlos Baleba may have been affected by summer transfer interest from Manchester United.
While the Red Devils were splashing the cash to sign a new forward line—Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Šeško and Bryan Mbeumo cost upwards of £200 million ($269.5 million)—they were also keen on a new midfielder and Baleba quickly emerged as the dream target.
United’s interest in the 21-year-old was strong but faded from view after around one week, when Old Trafford chiefs accepted Brighton’s asking price of over £100 million was well beyond their reach in a window which included such significant spends elsewhere. Reports claim United will reignite their pursuit of Baleba in 2026.
Since United’s interest emerged, Baleba has found himself under increasing scrutiny after a slow start to the season. While a knee injury has left the Cameroon international playing catch-up with his fitness, Baleba has also been accused of losing his focus because of the attention from United.
“Everyone has to understand with Carlos, he’s a very young player,” Hürzeler said after withdrawing Baleba midway through the weekend’s 2–2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. “He needs help from us.
“We can only guess [whether United’s interest has affected him]. For sure, when a young boy reads that there’s interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep.
“Even if he’s not saying, ‘It affects me,’ maybe deep inside of him, there is something that affects him.
“It’s even part of the development, to understand when you play well and a big club comes, to keep pushing, and to stay humble, to stay at Brighton and make the next step as a team. And that’s something we have to keep on working with him, and so, therefore, I can’t give you a clear answer if it’s really affected him or not.”
While Baleba has been named as the dream target of United manager Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils have been linked with a whole host of alternatives, with many reports identifying Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace as a player with plenty of admirers inside Old Trafford.
United’s recent financial reports, which included record revenue, have added to hope that a big-money midfielder could soon be added to the squad, with scouts now working to determine whether Baleba will be the top target again when the January transfer window opens.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Stay Humble’—Man Utd Target Sent Brutal Warning Over Transfer Interest.