Man Utd makes "hundred million pound" star decline unbelievably

(Dan Tri) - Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler believes that interest from Man Utd is the main reason for midfielder Carlos Baleba's decline in form.

Baleba, once a transfer target for Man Utd with a valuation of £115 million from owner Tony Bloom, is going through a difficult period at the beginning of the 2024/25 season.

Baleba, who was one of Brighton's best players last season, was left out of the starting line-up for the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth and substituted at half-time after a poor performance against Tottenham Hotspur on September 20. Hurzeler had previously suggested Baleba was affected by "media noise" and has now clarified the reason.

Baleba was substituted in the first half of the match against Tottenham (Photo: Getty).

Speaking about Baleba's situation, coach Hurzeler said: "Certainly, when he read the information that Man Utd were interested with an extremely attractive offer, that could have a profound impact on him."

He stressed the importance of young players understanding that "when you play well, there will be a big offer, there will be a big club that wants him. But then you have to keep working hard, be humble, stay at Brighton and try to take the next step with the team".

Hurzeler also called for understanding: "I can't answer clearly whether it really affected him or not. But certainly, he is not old enough and we need to understand that he is not a machine that just needs to be turned on, then turned off and stopped. We need to understand his emotions, his feelings, his background, that is our responsibility."

Brighton signed Baleba, 21, from Lille in 2023 and see him as an asset that could bring in a huge profit, similar to the case of Moises Caicedo, who was sold to Chelsea for £115m after costing just £4.5m to sign.

However, the Seagulls' strategy of retaining Baleba seems to be counterproductive in the short term, as the player is no longer in top form like last season. Last season, Baleba was one of Brighton's key players, leading in tackles, tackles won, blocks and fouls committed. However, his stats compared to his teammates have dropped significantly this season, especially in the last two matches.

Baleba is playing in poor form at the beginning of the 2025-26 season (Photo: Getty).

Previously, after the match with Bournemouth, coach Hurzeler shared about the influence of the media: "I think it is normal for a young player to be made noisy by the media. Baleba is not easy to handle this situation. Therefore, we need to give him time and support so that he can return to his best form."

He added: "But Baleba is a young player and I think that's something we have to accept, that young players don't always have the face we want to see. I think everyone is affected, especially when you're young and you hear things like this, regardless of whether they're right or wrong. But it's just noise that we don't need."

Baleba has three years left on his contract with Brighton and Brighton are reportedly willing to consider a reasonable fee for the player next summer.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/man-utd-khien-ngoi-sao-tram-trieu-bang-sa-sut-kho-tin-20250922085655248.htm