Liverpool are into the market for a potential hijack of Carlos Baleba. The Cameroonian midfielder was close to joining Manchester United in the summer.
Liverpool have reportedly entered the escalating transfer race for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Cameroonian international, currently at the Africa Cup of Nations, has been a long-term target for Manchester United and is now attracting serious attention from Anfield.
According to reports, Liverpool have registered their interest in the 22-year-old, who was close to a move to Old Trafford last summer. That deal collapsed when United baulked at Brighton’s asking price. The transfer situation also impacted the player’s early-season form. Despite a dip in performances, Brighton still expects significant offers for their asset.
Liverpool join United and Tottenham
The financial landscape of any deal remains substantial. Brighton are said to have set an asking price around €100 million. While this figure is considered excessive by some suitors, reports suggest Liverpool are tempted to pursue the deal seriously. They face direct competition, not only from Manchester United but also from Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich.[smartframe_images_embed customer-id=”1ffbae35d432d0d71911ca2a0b209fbb” image-id=”prsiSFg64Brm” style=”width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 2819px; aspect-ratio: 2819/1879;”]
Difficult moving in the winters
However, a January transfer appears highly unlikely. Brighton’s stance is clear about the midfielder. Caught Offside claims a source saying, “Brighton are fielding multiple enquiries for Baleba this month. There are teams who would ideally bring him in this January, but the message is that that won’t be possible. No one realistically expects him to stay beyond the summer, though.”
This aligns with comments from Brighton CEO Paul Barber, who recently played down immediate speculation. When asked about United’s interest, he stated, “No call from Old Trafford. No call from anyone connected to Manchester United. For us right now, he’s an important player in the second half of the season, and we’re looking forward to getting him back from AFCON.”[smartframe_images_embed customer-id=”1ffbae35d432d0d71911ca2a0b209fbb” image-id=”prsiO3QUKEZJ” style=”width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 7289px; aspect-ratio: 7289/4860;”]
For Liverpool, Baleba represents a potential long-term solution in midfield, an area they may look to bolster despite the strong form of Ryan Gravenberch. Any move, however, is almost certainly a story for the summer window, setting up a potential major transfer battle between Premier League rivals.
