Man Utd player-plus-cash offer for Baleba ‘rejected’ as Brighton planning for his departure’

August 12, 2025
12:43 am

Manchester United have seen an opening part-exchange offer for Carlos Baleba ‘rejected’ by Brighton, who are now ‘planning for his departure with a succession plan in place’.

It was revealed on Wednesday that United had made ‘contact’ over a possible move for Baleba through intermediaries, with Ruben Amorim seeing the 21-year-old as the ‘perfect player’ to sit at the base of his midfield.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that while United haven’t been quoted a price for Baleba, Brighton believe he will one day be worth as much as Moises Caicedo.

He said: ‘Brighton’s preference is to keep Carlos Baleba until at least summer 2026. Manchester United have made an enquiry via intermediaries and were not quoted a price. The Brighton hierarchy believe Baleba can be worth as much as Moises Caicedo one day, who the club sold to #CFC for £115m.’

A report earlier this week claimed Manchester City are also looking at Baleba as a possible backup or long-term successor to Rodri, while CaughtOffside report that Liverpool and Tottenham are also ‘keen on’ the Brighton star and have ‘entered the race’ to sign him.

According to insider X account indykaila, who first broke the story of the Red Devils’ interest in Baleba, not only does the midfielder want out of Brighton, but he has ‘verbally asked’ them to let him move to United.

His agent is also said to have ‘given the thumbs up’ on the offer of personal terms at Old Trafford if the Seagulls allow the midfielder to leave.

MORE ON MAN UTD FROM F365:
👉 Man Utd move above Arsenal with eight Premier League sides in ten biggest spenders of summer 2025
👉 Man Utd enter race for Newcastle target ‘as back-up option’ despite ‘major red flag’
👉 Amorim sends ‘clear message’ to Man Utd flop with Ratcliffe ‘prepared to let him leave’

And now The Standard claim United have had ‘an opening offer rejected for Baleba which included young midfielder Toby Collyer in part-exchange’.

And although the Seagulls snubbed that first bid, it’s also thought that they are ‘planning for Baleba’s departure with a succession plan in place’.

The report adds:

‘Diego Gomez and Malick Yalcouye are already in place and with much expected of them. Gomez is an £11million signing from Inter Miami in January, and impressed during the second half of last season, while 19-year-old Yalcouye spent last season on loan at Sturm Graz where he earned rave reviews.
‘It remains to be seen if Brighton decide to send Yalcouye out on another loan, with the likes of Jack Hinshelwood, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer and Yasin Ayari pushing for more midfield minutes during the upcoming season.
‘A succession plan is in place at Brighton, which will give United hope, but when a price tag is set on the south coast it is rarely not met.’