As Manchester United circle the Brighton powerhouse, inconsistency and friction with Fabian Hürzeler cloud a high-stakes transfer. Does his world-class potential justify a record-breaking summer price tag?
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba has been subject to links to Manchester United since the beginning of the season. The Reds are said to be interested in closing a deal this summer, at a suspected 'cut' price from the initial £100 million+ valuation of last season.
Baleba has been largely inconsistent throughout the season and not a true representative of himself. We all know how good his characteristics are, and the potential that the Cameroonian possesses.
However, Fabian Hürzeler has regularly substituted him before, during, and shortly after half-time this season, subsequently adding doubt to his Brighton future.
Whether this has been the right way to deal with a potential superstar talent remains to be seen, but many fans have their reservations.
With that being said, Baleba is the type of character who can be infectious when he is both on and off the pitch.
A lively, emotional player who will play and act wearing his heart on his sleeve. These types of players need to be controlled, while also having a fair share of freedom.
What is all the fuss about?
On paper, Baleba's season looks poor. Although his recent performances have shown signs of the old Carlos creeping back out. Particularly against Newcastle and Chelsea, Baleba was one of the best players on the pitch. His effortless strike at St James' Park crashed off the bar early in the game.
An intriguing profile of a player who can powerhouse their way through midfield, but does so elegantly. On his day, he can make rival midfielders simply look inferior, and combined with a reasonable passing ability and rocket of a shot in his locker, this is a very dangerous midfielder to defend against.
Equally, Baleba is brilliant defensively.
His physique and pace make him very difficult to dribble past, with a strong tackling ability to match it. His receiving of the ball is one of his strongest assets, particularly on the half-turn to improve build-up play through the midfield.
While these attributes sound fantastic, which they are, it is safe to say that Albion haven't really seen that this season.
His potential could even exceed that of previous midfielders at the club, like Moisés Caicedo and Yves Bissouma. It often feels like the box-to-box midfielder has been largely underutilised, but has also simply not shown enough to warrant a starting spot.
Quite often this season, we've seen stray and lazy passes, kicking the ball both off the pitch and ending attacks with a misplaced pass. These can be in the form of a 'hoof' forward, literally going vertically into nobody.
This has been a frustrating aspect of his game, but his potential remains the same. Under strong guidance and at the right club, Carlos Baleba can be one of the best midfielders both in the Premier League and the world.
An £80 million move would make sense, and with his head noticeably turned, a move to Manchester United in the Champions League could make a lot of sense.