Brighton are keen to keep hold of Baleba, who is under contract until 2028 with the option of a further 12 months, and warned United it would take a fee around the £115 million ($156 million) Chelsea paid to sign Moisés Caicedo two years ago to get a deal for Baleba over the line.

Excitement has been building at Manchester United as the club look set to get serious about finally fixing a key problem position.Ruben Amorim has tried several different combinations in the middle

Manchester United are unlikely to further pursue a deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba before the end of the transfer window, according to reports. United are keen to strengthen their options in central midfield and identified Baleba as their top target this summer.