Latest Manchester United transfer news as Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler’s speaks out amid the Red Devils’ reported Carlos Baleba interest
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has addressed his club’s activity in the transfer market as Manchester United continue to be linked with Carlos Baleba.
Baleba has emerged as a potential target for Ruben Amorim. The United boss completed his new-look attack force with Benjamin Sesko’s £66.4m arrival and could now seek to bolster his midfield before the transfer window closes.
It has, therefore, been suggested that Brighton’s Cameroon international is the man they have settled on. The Athletic reports United want to sign Baleba before the window closes as they anticipate the player could be the subject of a bidding war next summer.
Baleba joined the Seagulls from Lille in 2023 for £23.2m. He helped the club reach the Europa League round of 16 in 2023/24 and then last season took on a prominent role with 34 of 38 Premier League matches played. It is now claimed his next move could cost more than £100m.
At the time the 21-year-old arrived to the Premier League, Brighton had just confirmed the then-British-record sale of Moises Caicedo to Chelsea for £115m. The Ecuadorian had been signed for £4.5m again just two years before.
Such deals have earned the south coast club a reputation as having one of the most lucrative selling models in global football.
This has continued in the summer of 2025 as Joao Pedro was allowed to move to Chelsea in a £55m deal earlier this summer. The forward scored 13 and assisted seven last term, so speaking to The Athletic, Hurzeler was asked for his thoughts on losing players of such importance.
He said: “There is always talk when a club does something special, when a club is special. We are proud of our ways of working and we are not the only club who have sold one of our best players.
“It happens to bigger teams, bigger clubs. For me, the most important thing is that we always try to replace the players with great young players with big potential.”
Hurzeler added: “The second thing is the club also shows they can keep good players.
“There were big offers for Kaoru Mitoma (from Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in January), interest in Jan Paul van Hecke in this window, but the club showed they can stay strong, keep their best players as well.”
If that is the stance they take with Baleba in the final weeks of the summer window it could dent United’s hopes of completing a transfer.
The Brighton boss concluded: “We know how we want to work here, we know the Brighton way, and we always try to get the best out of the players and try to be successful.
“I think we’ve shown it last season. Of course, we want to make improvements now.
“We still have high expectations of ourselves, we want to achieve more, and I think with the signings we’ve made, we haven’t got worse. That is what we have to prove now.”
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2025-08-12 17:01:59
