Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has spoken to Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha about a potential move to Manchester United, according to reports. United held talks over a deal to sign Baleba last summer but ended their interest as Brighton demanded a transfer fee in excess of £100 million.
Michael Carrick’s midfield has already been bolstered this summer with a £35m deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta but United remain in the market for an additional midfielder. According to The Sun, Baleba remains on United’s radar and the 22-year-old spoke with Fernandes and Cunha about a switch to Old Trafford after Brighton’s 3-0 defeat at home on the final day of the Premier League season last month.
The report adds that Baleba ‘made a beeline’ for Cunha after the full-time whistle and the pair spoke by the tunnel. Speaking last season, Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler admitted that United’s failed move to sign Baleba had an impact on the midfielder’s performances.
‘For sure, when a young boy reads there is interest from Manchester United with a big, big offer, it might affect him deep, deep [down],’ Hurzeler said. ‘That’s also part of the development to understand that when you play well, there comes a big offer, there comes a big club who wants to have him. But then to keep pushing, to be humble, stay here in Brighton, and try to make the next step with the team and that’s something we have to keep on working with him and therefore I can’t give you a clear answer if it’s really affected him or not. But for sure, he’s a young boy and we need to understand he’s not a machine that if you click on then he always runs and off then he stops. We need to understand his feelings, his emotions, where he comes from, and that’s our responsibility.’
