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Tottenham enter race for Brighton midfielder who Manchester United want to sign

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 5:50 PM ET

Tottenham are among several Premier League clubs interested in signing highly-rated Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba

Tottenham Hotspur did not have the best of preparations heading into next week’s UEFA Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain as they were smashed 4-0 by Bayern Munich in Germany in their final friendly fixture.

Spurs were defensively all over the place, got overran in midfield and looked toothless in attack; in short, Thomas Frank’s side did not look prepared for the game and the upcoming season. With more cohesion and understanding between the players there will be improvements, but certain problems cannot be overlooked. And one of those is the midfield.

Thomas Frank decided to pair new signing Joao Palhinha with Rodrigo Bentancur in the double pivot in the Tottenham engine room. Palhinha understandably looked cumbersome in and out of possession and gave away a penalty in the first half, while his midfield partner Bentancur struggled to impose himself in the game. The defeat to Bayern once again exposed Spurs’ problems in the middle of the park, and if not addressed before the transfer window slams shut next month, Frank and Co. could be in for a long 2025/26 season.

Tottenham enter race for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba

In addition to signing a No.10, the north Londoners club desperately need a strong box-to-box presence who can complement defensive midfielder Palhinha. Perhaps this is the reason why Spurs are showing interest in one of the highly-rated young midfielders in the Premier League.

According to an exclusive report from Caught Offside, Tottenham have entered the mix for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United all are keeping tabs on his situation. However, Brighton has no intention of selling one of their prized assets this summer.

Carlos Baleba has become a coveted commodity in the transfer market following an excellent 2024/25 campaign with the Seagulls, which yielded three goals and an assist in 34 Premier League appearances. The 21-year-old has emerged as Man United’s midfield priority, but so far there have been no negotiations between them and Brighton.

Brighton quote north of £100m for their midfield powerhouse

Ideally, Brighton are insistent they won’t sell the Cameroonian midfielder before the start of this season. To scare away potential suitors, the Sussex-based side have slapped a price tag in the north of £100m on the player. The Seagulls are well within their rights to ask for a premium, which leaves us with the question- should Tottenham break their transfer record for Baleba?

From Spurs’ side, this isn’t the end of the road. Baleba has the mix of technical skills and physicality to bring balance to a midfield currently undergoing transformation under Frank. Brighton do not want to sell and Baleba has no problem staying at the Amex for another year. In some ways, this delay may work in Tottenham’s favour.

By next summer, the Lilywhites will have a more polished midfield structure, and the Cameroonian, with another season of Premier League experience under his belt, could arrive even more equipped to make an instant impact. Thus, Spurs must not break the bank for the African talent now.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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