Carlos Baleba of Brighton. Photo by Liz Finlayson/TPI/Shutterstock (16718466m)
Thursday Mar 12, 2026. 15:00
According to a report in English football media, Brighton and Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba has remained a top target for a Premier League giant amid increasing interests elsewhere.
Baleba has swiftly become one of the Premier League’s most sought after players and has been continueously linked with a big move away from Brighton despite a below par 2025/26 campaign.
As per TalkSport’s Alex Crook, Baleba is currently a top choice for English powerhouses Manchester United, ahead of players such as Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton.
“This might sound strange, because he’s not having the best season at Brighton, but I think Baleba would be the perfect foil for Mainoo,” Crook told TalkSport, according to GiveMeSport.
“He’s more of a sitting midfielder, because Kobbie’s big strength for me is carrying the ball.
“Wharton’s range of passing is terrific but we’ve already got Bruno Fernandes who can do that. I guess if you’re looking for a combination of the two – Baleba and Wharton – that would be Anderson or Tonali, so it will be fascinating to see which of those players United stumble upon.
“The nagging sense in my mind, when you look at what happened last summer and that they made enquiries in January, is that Baleba has always been their number one target from that list of players.”