Brighton Urges Baleba to Overcome United Interest

Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has been urged by manager Fabian Hurzeler to 'overcome the noise' from transfer speculation and focus on producing consistent performances. Manchester United pursued Baleba in the summer but Brighton stood firm with a reported valuation of over £100 million, and United are expected to monitor him with potential renewed interest in January or the 2026 window. Baleba briefly posted and deleted an Instagram story reading 'Coming to Old Trafford' ahead of Brighton's trip there, underscoring ongoing United interest. He has been substituted at half-time three times this season and has been hampered by a knee problem that disrupted his pre-season, though Hurzeler says private talks are aimed at turning recent form into habit. Teammate Bryan Mbeumo has reportedly tried to persuade Baleba to join United, while Baleba remains under contract at Brighton until 2028.