Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly rejected Manchester United’s bid for Carlos Baleba during the ongoing summer transfer window.
According to The Standard, Brighton turned down United’s initial offer for the Cameroonian midfielder, insisting on a transfer fee exceeding £100 million.
Earlier, The Athletic reported that Brighton intends to keep Baleba for at least another season. The 21-year-old is under contract at the Amex Stadium until 2028, with an option for a further year.
Baleba arrived at Brighton from Lille in the summer of 2023 for a reported €27 million, joining as a replacement for Moises Caicedo, who moved to Chelsea for a British-record fee of £115 million. That blockbuster sale appears to have influenced Brighton’s firm stance on Baleba’s valuation.
Before his move to Europe, Baleba developed his skills at a Cameroonian football academy before making the jump to Lille.
Manchester United’s summer signings so far have totaled €229 million, with Diego Leon (€4m from Cerro Porteno), Matheus Cunha (€74m from Wolverhampton), Bryan Mbeumo (€75m from Brentford), and Benjamin Sesko (€76m from RB Leipzig) all joining Erik ten Hag’s squad.