Brighton chief breaks silence on Carlos Baleba transfer as Man Utd launch £60m bid for Michael Carrick's latest target

Barber has insisted the club will only sanction transfer exits that "make sense for us financially" after Baleba was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. The 22-year-old has emerged as a key figure for the Seagulls since arriving from Lille, and his performances have not gone unnoticed by the Premier League’s elite.

Speaking to talkSPORT regarding the speculation, Barber remained professional but left the door open for a deal if the price is right. "It’s not something that I can talk about right now," the Brighton chief admitted. "I mean this time of year as you know we’re always going to be subject to bids for our players. We are always going to be interested in ones that are sensible and that are going to make sense for us financially and economically."

Manchester United have made it a clear priority this summer to strengthen their central midfield after Casemiro departure and a major injury to Manuel Ugarte left Carrick short of options. The club has already been active in the market, securing Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million and activating the £35m release clause of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa to provide much-needed experience.

According to reports, United have now turned their full attention to Baleba and have lodged an initial bid of £60 million plus £5m in add-ons. While Brighton consider the offer slightly below their valuation, positive negotiations continue between the two clubs.

Barber was quick to point out that any sale must be balanced against the club's on-field ambitions, particularly with European football on the horizon. "We always have to balance that with making sure the squad is as strong as it can be to compete in competitions like the one we are in tonight [Europa Conference League]," Barber added during the interview.

Despite the need for squad depth, Barber acknowledged the midfielder's soaring profile. He concluded: "So nothing to really say on Carlos at the moment other than he’s a hugely talented young midfielder who’s done really well for us and has attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world now for a couple of years so let’s see where we go."