Manchester United could face competition from Premier League rivals in attempt to sign £104 million-rated Carlos Baleba: Reports

Manchester United are reportedly set to face competition from Manchester City for the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. According to ESPN, Pep Guardiola has been an admirer of the 21-year-old over the years (via Standard).

At the same time, this report adds that the Red Devils have not taken any significant steps towards making this move. They are yet to establish contact with the Seagulls and may find it hard to sign the player, should they finalise a deal with Benjamin Sesko.

As per ESPN, Ruben Amorim and Co. are set to shell out €85 million to acquire the services of the RB Leipzig attacker. Therefore, splurging another €120 million, which is the asking price for Baleba, may become difficult.

For now, Brighton are under no pressure to sell the player, with his contract at the Amex running till the summer of 2028. On top of that, this report claims that Baleba is more than happy to remain with the Seagulls for the 2025/26 campaign.

The Cameroon international moved to Brighton in the summer of 2023 from Lille for a reported fee of €27 million. Since then, he's gone on to make 77 appearances across competitions for his current team, bagging four goals and two assists.

If it did come down to it, Baleba would likely pick Manchester City over Manchester United, given that the former would be offering UEFA Champions League football.

Chelsea hold talks with Manchester United in attempt to sign Alejandro Garnacho- Reports

Chelsea have reportedly held talks with Manchester United as they attempt to sign Alejandro Garnacho in the closing stages of the summer transfer window. According to Standard, the Argentina international is no longer in Ruben Amorim's plans and would be available for a fee of £50million.

The Red Devils have decided to strengthen in attack this summer, bringing in the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, who can operate out wide. The club also possesses the talent of Amad Diallo, who showed his abilities in the previous campaign.

Amid these changes, Garnacho would have to compete for minutes on the flanks and would not be a guaranteed starter at Old Trafford. With three years left on his current contract, a move to a club like Chelsea may do well for him.

The Blues enjoyed success in the form of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer and will be offering Champions League football next season.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh