Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler has sent a clear message to Carlos Baleva, who continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.
The Cameroon international has enjoyed a stellar time in the Premier League, so it’s no surprise that there has been a lot of talk about a potential move to a bigger club.
Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel that Manchester United are a player to keep an eye on after initially considering signing Baleva in the summer transfer window.
Hürzeler addressed the speculation, but simply asked Baleva to show that he can take the next step in his career by handling the situation in the best possible way and simply staying focused on doing what’s best for Brighton, rather than getting distracted by things that are out of his control…
“I think the next step for him as a person and as a character is to overcome these rumors,” the Seagulls manager said.
“At the end of the day, it’s just noise…and in his career in general he has to focus only on what he can influence.
“He can’t influence the rumors, he can’t influence the noise. He can only influence what he does on the pitch.”
What’s next for Man United transfer target Carlos Baleva?
Baleva is certainly a good enough player to play for a big club and United could really do with a midfielder like him at the moment.
The 21-year-old looks like the ideal long-term successor to players like the aging Casemiro, but also an upgrade over the unconvincing Manuel Ugarte.
Still, Hürzeler is right that Baleva must continue to perform at Brighton no matter what happens, as what happens next is ultimately not up to him.
Unless Baleva seriously tries to force a move, Brighton will no doubt only sell if they feel it’s the best decision for them, and it will take a lot of money to convince them.
United won’t be able to raise that much money if Baleva gets distracted and his form drops.