Brighton chief open to 'sensible' offer as Manchester United bid £65m for Carlos Baleba

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has left the door open to selling Carlos Baleba after Manchester United lodged an opening bid of approximately £60 million plus £5 million in add-ons for the 22-year-old Cameroonian midfielder.

Speaking to talkSPORT on Thursday, Barber stopped short of confirming United’s approach but acknowledged that Brighton will weigh up offers that make financial sense. “We are always going to be interested in ones that are sensible and that are going to make sense for us financially and economically,” he said, adding that the club must also protect the quality of their squad ahead of European competition.

“He’s a hugely talented young midfielder who’s done really well for us, and he has attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world now for a couple of years,” Barber added. “So let’s see where we go.”

United first pursued Baleba last summer, when Brighton valued him in excess of £100 million — a figure United were unwilling to meet at the time, with other positions taking priority. The club have returned this window with a more structured proposal, and sources indicate United are hopeful a total package below £75 million can be agreed.

The move would represent a significant outlay for a United side that has already committed £85 million this summer. The club signed back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow on a free transfer, brought in Andrey Santos for £50 million, and added Youri Tielemans for £35 million. A successful deal for Baleba would push their summer spending to around £160 million.

United are also in the market for a left-back before the Premier League transfer window closes on 1 September, meaning further activity is expected before the deadline.