Manchester United close in on Carlos Baleba as Brighton boss admits midfielder was rattled by transfer noise

Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with manager Michael Carrick set to secure his third summer addition before the new season begins.

The Red Devils have been active in the transfer market this summer, already bringing in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to strengthen their midfield. Carrick has remained in pursuit of a further playmaker, and Baleba — a target first explored last summer — now appears set to complete a move to Old Trafford.

United’s interest in the Cameroonian is not new. A move was attempted the previous summer but ultimately failed, and the prolonged speculation had a visible impact on Baleba during his time at Brighton. Manager Fabian Hurzeler openly acknowledged the situation, admitting the young midfielder had been “affected by the noise” surrounding a potential transfer.

Hurzeler benched Baleba ahead of Brighton’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, citing his player’s mental state in the build-up. “I think it’s normal for a young player when the media creates the noise around him,” Hurzeler said. “It’s not easy for this player to handle it. Therefore we need to give him the time and support so he comes back to his best performance. I think everyone gets affected, especially when you are that young and you hear these kinds of things, no matter if they are wrong or right.”

Baleba himself pushed back on that assessment in December, insisting the speculation had not harmed his performances. “I don’t think it affected me negatively, but I had a lot of pressure on me,” he said. “When I started this season, I wanted to show the same performances as last season. Every day I try to work hard and get back to my level.”

Elsewhere in their summer recruitment, United have also identified Newcastle’s Lewis Hall as their primary left-back target. However, the Magpies have so far been reluctant to part with the defender, leaving that pursuit unresolved as the club edges closer to finalising the Baleba deal.