Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has sent a clear message to Carlos Baleba amid ongoing transfer rumors linking him to Manchester United.
The Cameroon international has shone during his time in the Premier League, and it’s not too surprising to see that there is a lot of talk about his possible move to a bigger club.
Fabrizio Romano has spoken on his YouTube channel about Baleba being one to watch after Man Utd first considered signing him during the just-concluded summer transfer window.
Hurzeler has now responded to the speculation, but simply called on Baleba to show that he can take the next step in his career by handling this situation in the best possible way, continuing to focus on simply doing his best for Brighton rather than getting distracted by things he can’t control…
“This is the next step in overcoming these rumors”?
Fabian Hurzeler has called on Carlos Baleba to put aside rumors linking him with a move to Manchester United by giving his best in Brighton’s trip to Old Trafford. pic.twitter.com/ySzJyl7ot6
– Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 24, 2025
“I think it’s the next step for him, as a person, as a personality, to overcome these rumours,” the Seagulls boss said.
“At the end of the day, it’s just noise…and for his career in general, he needs to focus only on the things he can influence.”
“He can’t influence the rumors, he can’t influence the noise. He can only influence what he does on the pitch.”
What’s next for Man United transfer target Carlos Baleba?
Baleba is surely good enough to play for a bigger club, and United could really use a midfielder of his profile right now.
The 21-year-old appears to be an ideal long-term replacement for someone like the aging Casemiro, while he would also surely be an upgrade over the unconvincing Manuel Ugarte.
Yet Hurzeler is right that Baleba will have to continue performing at Brighton no matter what, because ultimately it won’t be up to him to decide what happens next.
Unless Baleba really has the tools to try and force a decision, Brighton will surely only sell if and when they feel it’s the best move for them, and it would probably take a lot of money to convince them.
United won’t come up with that kind of money if Baleba gets distracted and suffers a dip in form.
