Brighton -Baas Fabian Hurzeler has expressed his confidence that Man United Target Carlos Baleba will stay in the club this summer.
Baleba, 21, has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League since he came to Lille in 2023 -and the Cameroon International enjoyed a Breakout campaign in 2024-25.
His impressive versions have linked him to a move, with United Eying Baleba as an ideal signing in midfield this summer.
A price tag of £ 120 million has been disputed for the 21-year-old and United did not succeed in making progress in a possible deal, where Daily Mail Sport reported this week how reports about an agreement that was beaten were wide of the goal.
And, for the opening day of Brighton against Fulham on Saturday, Hurzeler gave an update about the situation.
“Very, very, very confident,” said the German when he was asked for his confidence that Baleba is still a Brighton player, the end of the transfer window.
When he was asked why he thought so, Hurzeler added: “(it's) just my conviction.”
Hurzeler was then asked how Baleba responded this summer in the midst of the transfer speculation.
“I have not seen any change,” he replied. “He only changed his hair, that was the only change he has made over the past two weeks.
'But in general he seems to be in a really good place, he enjoys it with his teammates, he enjoys being a Brighton player, he is very grateful that he has the process he had last season.
“So I have not seen a big change and he is an option to start for tomorrow yes.”
The news is likely to come a blow if they want to add to the additions of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko so far this summer.
Midfield was a problem position for Ruben Amorim last season, because United went through their worst Premier League finish, but as it looks now, the club did not strengthen in that area.
Hurzeler's comments also come after United has reportedly received a blow in the chase for the sporty Lisbon star Morten Hjulmand.
Reports in Portugal claimed Hjulmand, once a favorite of Amorim's during his time in the Portuguese capital and was appreciated at around £ 50 million, was identified as an alternative.
Amorim is a strong admirer of the midfielder and has previously praised his 'monster mentality' and leadership qualities after he had appointed him skipper at Sporting.
But it has now been claimed that 26-year-old Denmark International will be almost impossible to acquire this summer thanks to a combination of his expiring release clause and the unwillingness of Portuguese champions to sell another first team star in the window.
According to Record, the release clause of £ 68 million (€ 80 million) in the contract of the midfielder on 15 June expired and Sporting, whose sale of Ster -Spits Viktor Gyokeres was loaded to Arsenal, have decided to close the door for further outputs.