Manchester United have reportedly opened discussions with Brighton regarding highly-rated midfielder Carlos Baleba in a deal that could be worth £100million.

The 21-year-old only joined Brighton in 2023 but has already secured his position as a key figure for the Seagulls, making 34 appearances in a season where Brighton finished eighth.

Baleba could potentially join two national team-mates at Old Trafford in the shape of Andre Onana and new signing Bryan Mbuemo, as well as former Lille man Leny Yoro.

The Seagulls have lost and replaced top quality prospects before and they’ll be confident they can do it again, but what separates Baleba from the other elite Premier League midfielders? What makes Ruben Amorim so sure that he’s the missing piece to the puzzle?

The Man United boss has made it clear that personality is a vital trait to meet his transfer criteria and will have done his research on the player’s background.

Manchester United have reportedly opened discussions with Brighton regarding highly-rated midfielder Carlos Baleba

Baleba could potentially join Cameroon team-mates Bryan Mbuemo and Andre Onana at Old Trafford by signing for United this summer

Ruben Amorim could strengthen his midfield with the signing of the Brighton star

Born and raised in Douala, Cameroon, football was never a hobby for Carlos Baleba; it was a calling, and a fact that he was going to succeed. 

His hometown is also the birthplace of four-time African Player of the Year winner Samuel Eto’o, all time top scorer for Cameroon and regarded by many as the greatest African player in history. 

Almost any player would accept that they must settle for being the second-best footballer to come out of Douala, but Baleba hopes to surpass the legacy of the Barcelona legend.

He told The Sun that praise from players like Declan Rice, Matheus Cunha and Joelinton, as well as watching Man City star Rodri lift the Ballon D’or, has encouraged him to set his sights on the most prestigious individual award in football: 

‘I want to win the Ballon D’or like Rodri,’ Baleba said. ‘His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon D’or one day.’

His ambitions may seem extravagant, but just three years ago, Baleba was playing at an academy in Cameroon – Football des Brasseries. His rapid transition into one of Europe’s most sought-after players makes you understand why the Brighton player sets his standards so high, and the midfielder credits his work ethic to his father and former striker Eugene Baleba. 

His father implemented a strict and intense training regime when Carlos was just 10 years old which involved two non-stop hours of running, followed by sprinting between truck tyres to improve his agility. If you’ve seen the Cameroonian score, you may also recall Baleba’s acrobatic back-flip celebration, further influence of his father. 

‘It’s my dad. He said that if I learn how to do acrobatics then it will help my timing when I’m trying to read the ball or score a header. I would run up to a tyre and then jump on to it with either a front or back flip.’

Baleba is the latest Brighton midfielder to be linked with a big-money move away following that of Moises Caicedo to Chelsea 

Caicedo was himself signed as a replacement for Yves Bissouma, who left for Spurs

Whilst he has achieved a lot at a young age, Baleba’s career hasn’t always been a linear upwards trajectory. 

Many European clubs offered their interest to Baleba while he was at Brasseries but the then 18-year-old penned his commitment to Lille in January 2022, where he was placed in the reserve team alongside fellow Cameroon youngster Joffrey Bazie.  

Despite being named in the matchday squad numerous times in the 21-22 season, Baleba didn’t make his senior debut until the following campaign. Coming on for Man United’s youngest ever Premier League player Angel Gomes, Baleba quickly impressed the Lille supporters. 

He also shared the pitch with current Man United defender Leny Yoro, leading fans in red to connect some encouraging dots.

Signed by Brighton in 2023 to fill the Moises Caicedo shaped hole in midfield, Baleba had a lot of pressure to adapt to the Premier League and perform quickly. 

Growing up in Cameroon, meanwhile, Baleba had always been a fan of the Premier League. 

He even cited United midfielder Paul Pogba as one of his biggest inspirations, made clear in the powerful and swift way Baleba carries the ball through midfield.

In his early days however, a teenage Baleba struggled to meet the pace of the Premier League. When he signed under Robert De Zerbi, Brighton played an aggressive passing out the back system, which required the holding midfielder to be supremely comfortable and fast on the ball. 

While Baleba is highly-rated, only Destiny Udogie made more errors leading to goals than him in the Premier League last season

Former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for Baleba but doubted whether he was Premier League-ready

In his first season, Baleba made five errors leading to goals; only Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie made more. 

De Zerbi remarked that the midfielder was ‘perhaps not ready’ to play in the Premier League but remained confident that ‘he will be a great Premier League player’.

New manager Fabian Hurzeler has stuck with De Zerbi’s strict possession-based philosophy, but at 21 years old, Baleba is much more comfortable. Speaking to Sky Sports, he credited the German manager for his change in mindset.

‘He’s told not me to not worry so much,’ Baleba explained. ‘When I make a bad pass and then get angry, he tells me it’s not a problem. ‘Wait for the next ball, try again, try again’. Just like that. He’s given me confidence so I can express myself on the pitch.’

Since Hurzeler took over from De Zerbi, Baleba has stepped up to be of paramount importance to the Seagulls, more than filling the boots of his predecessors. 

By April last season the young midfielder was the only player in Europe’s top five leagues to complete more than 30 tackles, interceptions, clearances, take-ons and win more than 30 aerial duels. 

As a more dynamic presence than Caicedo or Bissouma, it’s unsurprising that Ruben Amorim believes he is the perfect partner for Bruno Fernandes in midfield. The Portuguese playmaker would be complimented well by the defensive tenacity and engine of Baleba, as well as his sublime technical ability in awkward situations.

This is a key area  United struggled in last season as Manuel Ugarte was happy to cover ground and make tackles, but his passing and dribbling regularly let the South American down, leaving the Red Devils in difficult transitions. 

However, Baleba has thrived under De Zerbi’s replacement, current boss Fabian Hurzeler

With a rate of 6.4 progressive carries per 90 minutes since the start of the 2023-24 season, Baleba ranks fifth amongst defensive midfielders in the Premier League, as well as ranking second in interceptions (1.44 per 90) behind only Ryan Gravenberch. 

Only Rodri boasts a better rate of winning possession than the Brighton midfielder, who wins the ball an average of 6.58 times per game.

In comparison to his potential future team-mates in Man United’s midfield, Baleba is at the top for interceptions, winning possession, passing accuracy and falls short only to Bruno Fernandes in progressive carries. 

On the other hand, among top Premier League midfielders, Kobbie Mainoo has the lowest number of successful passes per 90 with 36.61, and the penultimate spot goes to Ugarte, showcasing a clear need for an upgrade. 

Ugarte and Mainoo also rank in the bottom three for duel success percentage, and Casemiro falls to the bottom in terms of passing accuracy.

Mainoo’s inclusion may be slightly skewed due to occupying higher areas of the midfield, but Casemiro and Ugarte come with clear technical deficiencies that could be resolved by the abilities of Baleba.

The Red Devils suffered their worst season in Premier League history through the 24-2024-25 campaign, finishing in 15th place and being outscored by both West Ham and Wolves. 

On top of that, they were defeated in the Europa League final by Tottenham, giving a performance that was described as ‘shameful’. 

Among top Premier League midfielders, Kobbie Mainoo has the lowest number of successful passes per 90 with 36.61

The penultimate spot on the same list goes to Manuel Ugarte, showcasing a clear need for an upgrade

After an inferior performance and 2-2 draw against Everton last season, boss Amorim pointed to the players ‘losing the ball without any pressure’ as a catalyst for the team being on the back foot throughout the match.

Although he scored the goal to complete a comeback from 2-0 down, Ugarte started alongside Casemiro in that match, a clear indication that Amorim is absolutely aware of their weaknesses on the ball which could be preventing the Portuguese manager from maintaining as much possession as he would like. 

Baleba’s passing accuracy of 89.53 per cent dwarves Casemiro’s, who has a poor rate of only 81.66 per cent. The legendary Brazilian does, however, boast an impressive 4.29 tackles per 90 as well as winning an average of 7.37 duels per game, topping the charts in both categories with Ugarte a close second in each.

Unfortunately, these figures portray players who thrive in a team that is consistently on the back foot. 

This doesn’t mean that there’s no place for Ugarte or Casemiro; it’s unlikely that the Red Devils will shift into a team who dominates the ball against every side in a single season, but in games against weaker opposition, where Amorim will want to hold the ball, a player of Baleba’s skills would be much more prevalent and effective.

Despite only scoring three Premier League goals last season, Baleba is also still a long-distance threat, as displayed by his Goal of the Month winning strike against West Ham in April that secured a 3-2 win for Brighton in the last minute. 

Picking the ball up 35 yards out Baleba set himself, whipping the ball with his favoured left foot before the goalkeeper could even move, then springing into a backflip celebration that Nani would be proud of.

It’s all well and good looking at stats to prove why Baleba is in the upper echelon of Europe’s midfielders, but not all traits can be measured by figures – such as bravery and enthusiasm. According to Baleba himself, these are some of the most important qualities for a midfielder.

The potential arrival of Baleba comes with Benjamin Sesko nearing a move to Old Trafford

‘You need the courage to come out with the ball in difficult and risky areas,’ the Brighton man said. ‘It’s all about the confidence you have in yourself – to want to take the ball in those areas – and playing simple.

‘It’s about having the bravery to show what you’re capable of. We take risks – and you must take risks at this level. So having the courage to do it, you can play out the back easily, without losing it.’

Although humble, the Cameroon international sets his ambitions high and backs himself to reach the very top. With a contract until 2028 and the opportunity for Brighton to trigger a further year extension, the south coast club will see no reason to let Baleba leave the Amex without a considerable fee in return. 

In their current predicament, it’s debatable whether United would be a step up for Baleba, but the incomings of Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and potentially Benjamin Sesko insinuate a strong project being built by Ruben Amorim, which would at least make the Cameroonian take a second look to Old Trafford.

Time and time again promising careers have been annihilated under the pressure of the Stretford End, but Baleba’s work ethic and self confidence means it’s unlikely he would back himself to succeed in the spotlight. 

If United can afford the substantial fee, Baleba has a difficult choice to make, and only time will tell if he makes it correctly.