Carlos Baleba is one of the Premier League’s top ‘sweepers’.
Liverpool are reportedly planning to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, who has quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders.
All signs point to a busy summer transfer window for manager Arne Slot, with Liverpool likely to add a new striker and centre-back. If the worst fears come true and one of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves, the Reds will surely have to look for a replacement.
In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch’s form suggests Liverpool don’t necessarily need to sign another midfielder. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have been in fine form, while Curtis Jones has also done well when given the chance.
However, according to a recent report, Liverpool are still keen to bring Carlos Baleba to Anfield. However, it will be an expensive deal. Brighton could demand a higher price than the £115m Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo.
Brighton are considered one of the best teams in the Premier League when it comes to finding and developing young talent. Their scouting system has discovered many bright stars, and Carlos Baleba is the latest name to join the club and quickly become one of the top midfielders in the league.
Carlos Baleba is expected to cost up to £115m.
In the summer transfer window of 2023, Brighton spent just £23.2m to recruit Baleba from Lille, but less than two seasons later, he has risen to the level and is on par with the best midfielders in England.
Currently, according to Give Me Sport, Liverpool are closely monitoring Baleba and could step up their interest as the season draws to a close.
However, the Reds are not the only club keeping an eye on the Cameroonian midfielder. Manchester City are also chasing Baleba, but last summer they were rejected by Brighton when they approached him.
The cost of the deal will certainly be huge. According to The Guardian, Brighton could demand “more than the £115m Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo.” This could prove to be a major hurdle, but if Liverpool really see Baleba as a top target, it will be interesting to see whether they are willing to spend big to bring him to Anfield.
In terms of playing style, the Cameroonian midfielder is considered a real “sweeper” with the ability to move across the pitch, strong in the competition, excellent control of the midfield as well as the willingness to rush forward to join the attack when the opportunity arises, an image reminiscent of Moises Caicedo, one of the players