Manchester City and Chelsea have refused to rule out the possibility of attempting to lure Carlos Baleba to the Etihad Stadium or Stamford Bridge in the summer after it has become clear that negotiating a last-gasp winter deal for the Brighton & Hove Albion star will not be possible, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
Pep Guardiola has been spending big this month, with Omar Marmoush costing an initial £59million when he joined from Eintracht Frankfurt, but Blues head coach Enzo Maresca is also in the market for reinforcements and has been threatening to go head-to-head with the reigning Premier League champions for an agreement.
Both sides have used the transfer window to make alterations to their backlines, with Abdukodir Khusanov joining Manchester City for £33.5million from Lens and an agreement being reached with Palmeiras for Vitor Reis, while Trevoh Chalobah and Aaron Anselmino headed to Chelsea after loans were terminated, but Baleba has been on their radar as well.
Baleba Not Poised to Complete Winter Switch
Admirers could reignite pursuit of midfielder during summer
Manchester City and Chelsea are facing frustration in their respective pursuits of Baleba, according to GMS sources, as Brighton have sent out a clear message that a mid-season departure is out of the question and any offers ahead of the fast-approaching winter deadline will not be entertained.
The defensive midfielder’s consistent performances in his current surroundings resulted in the Sky Blues and west Londoners adding him to their shortlist of targets, while BBC pundit and former Seagulls frontman Glenn Murray has insisted he is worth more than £100million in the current market.
GMS sources have been informed that Manchester City and Chelsea could look into the possibility of landing Baleba more closely in the summer, having been made aware that Brighton are highly unlikely to alter their stance a matter of days before the transfer window slams shut, as they are impressed with how he has adjusted to life in the Premier League.
The Seagulls are in a strong negotiating position thanks to the Cameroon international still having three-and-a-half-years remaining on a contract which allows him to pocket £12,500-per-week, complicating matters for Guardiola and Maresca as they continue their search for a fresh presence in the middle of the park.
Chelsea’s interest in handing Baleba the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella by making the move from Brighton is refusing to go away, GMS sources have learned, while Manchester City have been keen to gauge what it would take to win the race.
Guardiola and Maresca Not in Push for Baleba
Tacticians aware deal will be too difficult at this stage of window
GMS sources have been told that Manchester City and Chelsea have stopped short of pushing for Baleba’s signature as Brighton’s stance has resulted in Guardiola and Maresca accepting it will be difficult to convince them to cash in, but they remain determined to bolster their options in midfield.
The 21-year-old has also been gaining serious interest from Serie A, meaning that the reigning Premier League champions or Blues winning the race if he is eventually made available is not a foregone conclusion, while it would take a significant fee to make the Seagulls entertain sanctioning his exit.
Baleba has gained admiring glances due to being pinpointed as one of the next up-and-coming talents to thrive in a Brighton shirt, and GMS sources understand that Manchester City remain adamant they will recruit an alternative before the fast-approaching transfer deadline at 11pm on Monday.
Douglas Luiz is still an ongoing target for the Sky Blues despite Juventus showing resilience, with GMS sources recently revealing that the Italian heavyweights were unwilling to make a final decision on the Brazilian’s future ahead of their Champions League encounter against Benfica in midweek.