Manchester United plans to strengthen their midfield by signing one player in both the winter and summer transfer windows! Liverpool aims to compete with Amrabat for Ballaiba.

Manchester United might miss out on Carlos Ballaiba next year. According to the English media outlet "TEAMtalk," Premier League defending champions Liverpool could compete with United, potentially driving up the price for the Cameroonian defensive midfielder. Reports suggest that Klopp's team may offer £65 million plus add-ons during the January transfer window, and Ballaiba is also willing to join them.

Ruben Amrabat has made strengthening the midfield his top priority, with Ballaiba high on his shortlist. United attempted to sign him this summer but failed. Despite the 21-year-old's poor form since the new season began, the Red Devils still hold him in high regard.

TEAMtalk’s transfer expert Dean Jones stated that Manchester United has an ambitious plan to reinforce their midfield, with Amrabat aiming to sign two new midfielders — one in the January transfer window and another in the summer after the season ends.

Brighton is very reluctant to let Ballaiba go in January. Despite transfer rumors and his struggles with injuries affecting his early-season form, head coach Fabian Heintzler still hopes he will regain his form. Manchester United and other Premier League giants see Ballaiba as an ideal target.

Jones revealed that Liverpool plans to closely monitor Ballaiba’s performance this season to decide whether to sign him next year to strengthen their midfield. "Manchester United was the first club interested in Ballaiba this summer, and they still view him as a key target in Amrabat’s long-term rebuilding strategy. Their early approach clearly aims to show both the player and club their sincerity," Jones analyzed.

“However, what worries Manchester United is Liverpool’s admiration for the player, which could turn into a more concrete pursuit. Liverpool has already made it clear this year that they are willing to spend big to acquire the right players. If they decide to go after Ballaiba, United could suddenly find themselves in a difficult position. Nowadays, no one wants to compete with Liverpool either on or off the pitch. Klopp is willing to spend heavily, which means even if United secures Ballaiba, it might cost them more,”

However, if Ballaiba continues his current form, Premier League giants scouting him might give up. Last weekend, he underperformed again in Brighton’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham, being substituted off by the coach at halftime.

Brighton officially stated that Ballaiba is still recovering from a knee injury sustained in the summer, which affected his preseason training and limited his playing time this season. Heintzler explained after the match: “Everyone must understand that Carlos (Ballaiba) is still a very young player, not a machine. He needs our support. Today we tried everything, but his body could only last 45 minutes, and that is a fact we must accept.”

Regarding Ballaiba’s story with Manchester United, Brighton’s coach commented: “Of course, when a young player reads about Manchester United showing strong interest and offering a very generous bid, it definitely has a profound impact on him. Even if he doesn’t openly say ‘this affects me,’ deep down, something might have changed. This is part of growing up: when you perform well, you must understand that even if big clubs notice you, you still have to keep working hard, stay humble, remain at Brighton, and progress with the team. This is something we need to continue working on with him.”

If a player is negatively affected by a failed transfer, then he might not be suited to survive at top clubs. Whether at Manchester United or Liverpool, a high-priced player is always under scrutiny, facing praise, attention, or criticism every week. Without a strong mentality to perform consistently in all environments, even great talent and ability can end up being wasted.

Brighton has a history of successfully developing outstanding players, but there have also been failures, such as Irish forward Evan Ferguson. He was once rumored to join Manchester United with a valuation of £100 million, but ultimately, young Ferguson’s talent faded, and he became just another average player. This summer, he was loaned to Serie A’s Roma with a €40 million buyout clause. For a Premier League player, moving to Serie A is often seen as a setback, forcing them to prove themselves in a less competitive league.

Ballaiba’s contract with Brighton runs until 2028, with the club having the option to extend for another year, placing them in a very strong negotiating position. Therefore, any offer for the “Seagulls” to consider selling Ballaiba will likely need to exceed £100 million. They will use the 2023 sale of Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea for £115 million as a benchmark.