Newcastle target Brighton's Baleba in £65m move funded by Tonali and Guimarães sales

Newcastle United are targeting Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in a deal believed to be worth around £65m, with the funds generated by the high-profile departures of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimarães this summer, according to reports.

The Magpies have already spent a portion of the £237m raised from those three sales, bringing in goalkeepers Ewen Jaouen and Lukas Hornicek, winger Bazoumana Toure, and midfielders Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba for a combined £136.6m. All five arrivals are untested in the Premier League, having come from France, Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands, and four of the five were born after the 2006 Winter Olympics — a profile that has understandably raised eyebrows among supporters.

Baleba, 22, offers a different proposition. The Cameroon international has accumulated 92 Premier League appearances since joining Brighton from Lille in 2023, giving him a level of top-flight experience that none of Newcastle’s other summer signings can match.

The timing of any move, however, remains uncertain. Baleba is currently recovering from an ankle ligament injury, and the Daily Mail has described the situation as “not an active transfer deal” but rather “one to keep an eye on.” talkSPORT’s sources, by contrast, report that Newcastle believe a deal can be done at £65m, though the same sources expressed doubt over whether Brighton would entertain an offer in that range.

Manchester United had previously been linked with Baleba, but reports suggest their interest has since cooled, potentially leaving Newcastle as the primary suitor.

The backdrop to all of this is a club under considerable pressure. The sales of Gordon and Tonali earlier in the window contributed to Eddie Howe’s decision to leave St James’ Park, and the club’s owners are now under scrutiny to demonstrate that Newcastle’s ambitions remain intact. New head coach Matthias Jaissle will be acutely aware that a midfield signing with proven Premier League pedigree could do much to reassure a fanbase that has grown increasingly restless.