Baleba clause could complicate Man United transfer and explain Brighton's stance

Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is believed to have a sell-on clause inserted in his current contract which could further complicate Manchester United's pursuit of the 21-year-old

Carlos Baleba's contract is believed to contain a sell-on clause that could potentially sting Manchester United. The Red Devils have made their interest in the Brighton and Hove Albion star known this summer.

That's despite the Seagulls' insistence that their gifted midfielder isn't available, while they've also attached whacked a hefty price tag on him of around £100million. As a result, United bosses have reportedly conceded that a move before September 1 is now highly unlikely, and they already have an eye on next year.

However, future attempts to secure the Cameroonian at Old Trafford could be hampered by a sell-on clause, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. It's claimed that Baleba's current deal includes a provision that 15 per cent of any sale from Brighton will go to Lille.

Brighton were said to have agreed the clause with the Ligue 1 team when the two clubs negotiated a deal worth around £26m two years ago. This could shed light on Brighton's steep valuation of Baleba and their firm position in discussions about a sale.

The Seagulls have a specific amount in mind they want to receive to let the young player leave the Amex Stadium, considering a portion of it will go to his former club. Theoretically, without the contract clause, United might have been looking at an £85m asking price for Baleba, as Brighton wouldn't be losing £15m of their £100m valuation to Lille in that scenario.

Ruben Amorim is wrapping up his first summer transfer window at Old Trafford, having so far splashed out over £200m on new signings like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. However, the Portuguese boss may have been in a stronger position to negotiate for Baleba had he managed to offload some of the players who don't fit into his plans, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Selling players would certainly ease the PSR pressure on the Red Devils. And while there's still hope that a deal can be struck to offload Alejandro Garnacho, with Chelsea reportedly closing in on the winger, other surplus players like Rasmus Hojlund, Jadon Sancho and Antony seem to be stuck in limbo.

United have managed to cut around £12million from their wage bill after Marcus Rashford agreed to a year-long loan to Barcelona with an option to buy, although the club were hopeful of finding a permanent home for the academy graduate, who has fallen out of favour with Amorim.

Meanwhile, Hojlund's future is uncertain following the arrival of Sesko from RB Leipzig in a £73.7m deal earlier this month. Despite being linked with loan moves to Napoli and AC Milan, the Dane is determined to stay in the north west and fight for his place in the new season.

Amorim struggled last season with his ageing midfield, including Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, but it's not just the middle of the pitch that needs bolstering before the transfer deadline.

Andre Onana, who cost a hefty £47.2m from Inter Milan in 2023, has failed to justify his price tag, making several costly errors in the Premier League despite being touted as one of the world's top goalkeepers.

The Cameroonian has only just returned from a hamstring injury, leading to Altay Bayindir stepping in as Amorim's chosen keeper for United's Premier League opener against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday. After United's 1-0 defeat, it remains to be seen whether they will make a last-minute bid for a new No. 1 before the transfer window closes.