Man Utd's secret weapon in Baleba race as Brighton issue immediate response

Manchester United have made contact with Brighton through intermediaries to discuss signing Carlos Baleba before transfer deadline day and the club's chief executive has already spoken out

Manchester United have a secret weapon in their pursuit of Brighton star Carlos Baleba. The Red Devils are understood to have made contract with Brighton via intermediaries as they weigh up a bid in the final weeks of what's been a busy summer transfer window at Old Trafford.

Baleba, 21, is entering his third season with the Seagulls, having joined them from French side Lille in 2023 for £23.2million. Two years later and the Cameroonian is valued at around triple that amount.

Considered one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League, Baleba's stock has been steadily rising over the course of that time. Reports emerged on Wednesday claiming that United had been in touch to explore the conditions of a move.

Financing the deal would be one part of the equation while convincing Baleba would be another. Fortunately for the Red Devils, they can turn to Leny Yoro.

Defender Yoro played played alongside the 21-year-old for Lille and the pair were said to be good friends at the Ligue 1 club. They follow one another on social media and regularly like each other's posts.

Should Yoro need some help, Bryan Mbeumo and Andre Onana both play alongside Baleba for Cameroon. If they were to become team-mates again, though, it'd be on Brighton's terms.

Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber told BBC Sussex just hours after the news broke: "We've got some great talent, there's always going to be interest in our players.

"Manchester United have not been in touch with me. So from that point of view, speculation is speculation. We will always try to make sure we sell our best players at the right time, not just for the player but for us.

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"If we end up doing that with any player, it's with the view to leave Fabian [Hurzeler, manager] with a very competitive squad, whatever happens. We don't want to sell our best players.

"Carlos is a fantastic talent who has a lot of years ahead of him. We hope he will be here for many years to come. But it's something that, as always, is subjective to the dynamics of the football world which isn't always predictable."

Brighton begin their Premier League campaign at home to Fulham on Saturday, August 16. They aren't scheduled to face United until the final week of October, so who knows which side he'll be on?