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Credit: Imago
Chris Smith
Tue 12 August 2025 17:46, UK
Manchester United could turn their attention to a Ruben Amorim favourite after learning what it’ll take to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton.
After a transition year in English football, Baleba enjoyed a breakout 2024/25 campaign, making 40 appearances across all competitions — registering four goals and two assists along the way.
In Premier League play, Baleba was first among Brighton players for interceptions (46) and tackles (79), while also finishing in the top three for passes into the final third (109) and successful dribbles (33, FBref), proving his worth on both sides of the ball.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see clubs like Man United linked with Baleba.
Man United are pushing hard to sign Baleba (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that Baleba is open to the Old Trafford move — even speaking with ‘friends’ within Ruben Amorim’s squad about the prospect of joining them.
However, any optimism from that update could be short-lived, with the Red Devils now finding out exactly what it will take to persuade Brighton to sell the 21-year-old.
According to The Guardian, the Seagulls a demanding a record transfer fee for an African player in order to sell Baleba.
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That record currently belongs to Nicolas Pepe when he joined Arsenal from Lille for £72million in 2019.
However, it’s thought that Brighton could demand a price in excess of £100m for Baleba, who has three years left to run on his contract at the Amex Stadium, with a further option year.
United have been splashing the cash this summer, but even by their standards, that may be a bridge too far after already spending over £200m on Benjamin Sesko, Baleba’s compatriot Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon.
Besides, the Red Devils may have a cheaper option on the table, who is far more familiar with Ruben Amorim’s style of play.
Credit: Sporting CP via YouTube
Morten Hjulmand is another midfield target for Manchester United, and he’s one who could make a lot more sense than Baleba.
The 26-year-old is intimately acquainted with Amorim’s tactical preferences, playing under him 65 times during their spell together at Sporting CP — winning two Primeira Liga titles and a Taca de Portugal.
Juventus are also thought to be interested in Hjulmand, but have identified Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma as a possible alternative.
And despite having three years left on his contract in Lisbon, Hjulmand looks like he’ll be a much cheaper option than Baleba, with the Red Devils understood to be pushing for a fee of €50m (£43.2m) — more than half that of the Brighton star.
The money saved by signing Hjulmand — who could fit seamlessly into Amorim’s team given their history together — could also help fund United’s pursuit of PSG and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The 26-year-old wants out of the Parisian side after they signed Lucas Chevalier, while United are looking for a major improvement on the mistake-prone Andre Onana.
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