Baleba speaks for the first time about the Manchester United transfer rumors, denying any deliberate poor performance! Reveals Manchester United's intention to sell a £60 million defensive midfielder

Carlos Baleba, who has left Brighton to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations, acknowledged that being continuously linked with Manchester United has put a lot of pressure on him, but he denies that this caused his drop in form this season.

This 21-year-old Cameroonian international had the opportunity to join Manchester United this summer, with reports confirming real negotiations took place. Rumors suggested the player had agreed to a contract with Manchester United, but Brighton, who hold his contract until 2028, valued the defensive midfielder at over £120 million, forcing Manchester United to ultimately withdraw.

This highly watched transfer saga has had a far-reaching impact. Baleba was among Europe's best defensive midfielders last season but has faded this season. Head coach Fabian Herzele has clearly been dissatisfied with his form; in Brighton’s 16 Premier League matches this season, Baleba has only once played the full 90 minutes.

Baleba strongly denies that his poor form is due to the distraction of the Manchester United transfer rumors. "I don't think it affected me," Baleba told Sky Sports UK after Brighton’s 0-2 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, as he prepared to return to Africa. He believes injuries and pressure are the real reasons behind his dip in form.

Due to an injury in the summer, Baleba missed most of the preseason training, and there were rumors at the time that he was boycotting training to force a transfer. Although this was not true, Baleba’s performance after returning has been underwhelming, and he admits he has been troubled by extra pressure.

“I have been under a lot of pressure,” Baleba confessed. “At the start of the season, I wanted to perform at the same level as last season. I train hard every day to get back to that level. Have I put too much pressure on myself? Yes, I think so, but I believe it’s a good thing. It benefits me. Now I need to get through this stressful period, then recover and keep working hard.”

Not long ago, when visiting Old Trafford, Baleba warmly took photos with Manchester United fans. When asked if he would join the Red Devils, he smiled slightly. However, Baleba’s current form raises doubts about whether he can still transfer to Manchester United in the future. Other potential Manchester United targets, such as Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Walton, who were also heavily linked but failed to move in the summer window, have performed steadily or even better. Many believe this is the attitude needed to earn a move to a top club.

Some worry that, given Baleba’s mentality, even if he eventually joins Manchester United for a high fee, he may not be able to handle the pressure of playing at Old Trafford. A negative example is Van de Beek, who was signed by Ten Hag from Paris Saint-Germain for €60 million but struggled.

Ruben Amorim, who worked with this Uruguayan defensive midfielder at Sporting CP, said Van de Beek’s attitude is now completely different from before. So far this season, Van de Beek has only started three times, and British media report he might be sold next year to raise funds for other midfield signings.

Former Manchester United scout Mike Brown confirmed that the club will remain open to offers for Van de Beek, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe is focused on supporting Amorim’s thorough midfield overhaul. “Amorim doesn’t see Van de Beek as part of his plans,” Brown told Football Insider. “When Van de Beek had chances to prove he deserved more regular playing time, he performed very poorly and did not meet the required standards.”

Brown added: “Ultimately, the head coach will have full autonomy to decide. As far as I know, he is willing to let Van de Beek go to raise some funds and use that money to strengthen the team. Clearly, midfield is Manchester United’s main focus, and they want to improve in that area. If Van de Beek is sold, it means United can bring in someone else. If that happens, the club will definitely consider it seriously.”

Although Van de Beek has struggled at Manchester United, the 24-year-old Uruguayan international still has many suitors, with Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray recently linked to him. Brown explained: “I have no doubt Van de Beek will have many interested clubs. He is still young, and failing to succeed at Manchester United doesn’t mean he is a bad player. If Manchester United receives a high offer, I expect him to leave.”