Manchester United were eyeing a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleva in the summer, but the Cameroonian midfielder has struggled since rumors of a big-money move surfaced.
Manchester United were linked with a big-money move for Brighton’s Carlos Baleva in the summer, but the midfielder has had a memorable season since being told he would stay at the Amex.
It is well documented that the Red Devils wanted to strengthen their midfield but ultimately failed to sign a new player in that area. It remains a questionable position, and there were expectations that he would return next year to see if they could lure Bareva away from the Seagulls.
However, given his performances, a rethink may be necessary at Old Trafford. After all, United have been stabbed multiple times in the transfer market, spending huge amounts of money on players only to end up being outplayed in red shirts.
Unfortunately for Bareva, he suffered a third hiccup at the interval and continued to struggle over the weekend. The Cameroon star has started six of seven Premier League games, but Baleba is yet to play the full 90 minutes despite performing well in his debut season at the Amex. On Saturday, Brighton were led 1-0 by Wolves when he was replaced by Georginio Rutter, but he scored in the second half to draw the game.
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Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler previously substituted midfielders at half-time in the team’s home draw against Everton in August and against Tottenham last month. Baleva was given a yellow card and sent off as a precautionary measure.
“No, it was because of the yellow card. So it affects the whole match plan and affects everything. That’s why it’s so frustrating that if you get your first foul you always get a yellow card. In my opinion, there was no yellow card. So I think the balance has to be better.”
Hürzeler was honest about the impact United’s interest had on Baleva during the transfer window. Brighton had previously seen the midfielder excel under them, but he ended up leaving for a huge fee. Moises Caicedo is the most high-profile example.
“It’s normal for Valeva to have some ups and downs in his development,” the Brighton manager admitted of Baleva’s dip in form. He told talkSPORT: “I’m sure we’ll get the best out of him. I think he needs time. He’s still young and his development last year was incredible.
“Maybe the pace was a little too fast. There were a lot of rumors about him and he had a great season. But I always try to be humble with the players.”
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