Transfer Latest: Manchester United Eye Brighton’s Baleba While Liverpool Track Giovanni Leoni

Manchester United are exploring a move for Carlos Baleba but are expected to person to salary a transportation grounds for an African subordinate if they tin seduce Brighton to waste nan Cameroon midfielder.

It is understood United person identified Baleba, who excelled for Fabian Hürzeler’s broadside past season, arsenic a imaginable semipermanent solution for their issues successful cardinal midfield. The 21-year-old has 3 years connected his contract, which Brighton person an action to widen by 12 months.

Sources adjacent to Baleba person indicated he is keen to subordinate United if an statement tin beryllium reached. Brighton are adamant he is not for sale, and it is understood it would require an connection good supra nan £72m Arsenal paid Lille for nan Ivory Coast guardant Nicolas Pépé successful 2019 to tempt them into changing their stance. It has been suggested it whitethorn return much than £100m to motion a subordinate rated arsenic 1 of nan champion emerging talents successful world football.

Any United bid for Baleba is understood to beryllium limited connected players being moved on, pinch Chelsea still successful talks complete a woody for Alejandro Garnacho and Milan willing successful Rasmus Højlund. They person been trying to offload 2 others attackers, Jadon Sancho and Antony, who are connected large wages. United person spent much than £200m this summertime connected nan forwards Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, different Cameroon international.

Baleba, who joined Brighton successful 2023 from Lille for £23m, told nan Guardian earlier this twelvemonth that he was happy astatine Brighton but admitted he wanted “to do more”. He said: “I want to beryllium a large midfielder, to beryllium a legend, crossed nan world.”

Brighton’s main executive, Paul Barber, said past week astatine a fans’ forum that United had yet to beryllium successful touch but acknowledged Baleba could leave. “Carlos is simply a awesome talent,” he said. “We dream he’ll beryllium present for years to travel – but it’s taxable to nan dynamics of nan shot world, which isn’t ever predictable.”

Liverpool are considering a move for nan Parma centre-half Giovanni Leoni arsenic they look to summation Arne Slot’s protect options. The 18-year-old impressed successful nan 2nd half of past season, making 17 appearances, and has attracted liking from respective Serie A clubs this summer, including Inter. Their coach, Cristian Chivu, was successful complaint astatine Parma past season.

Giovanni Leoni, pictured successful July’s friends against Werder Bremen, has attracted liking from different Italian clubs this summer. Photograph: Parma Calcio 1913/Getty Images

Liverpool are besides keen connected nan 6ft 5in defender and fresh to measurement up their liking if they person encouragement that he is unfastened to leaving Italy. The Premier League champions person not made an attack to Parma.

Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi remains Liverpool’s main protect target and Steve Parish, nan Palace chair, conceded aft Sunday’s Community Shield that it would beryllium better to sell nan England world than suffer him for thing adjacent summer. Liverpool dream Palace will little their asking value for nan 25-year-old arsenic transportation deadline approaches. The champions could move for Guéhi and Leoni this summer.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté are nan only established cardinal defenders disposable to Slot for Friday’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth. Liverpool person sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen and Joe Gomez missed nan last games of pre-season pinch a insignificant achilles injury. Slot admitted aft nan Community Shield punishment shootout conclusion by Palace that Liverpool’s defending successful pre-season had been a origin for concern.