Carlos Baleba lifts lid on early season woes and how Brighton star helped him through blip

The midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United over the summer, with talks taking place via intermediaries over a potential switch. However, Baleba’s valuation, believed to be in the region of £100million, prevented negotiations from advancing.

Nevertheless, the reports surrounding the Cameroon international led to the 22-year-old disappointing in the opening stages of the season, with Fabian Hurzeler publicly calling on his No. 17 to battle through the rough patch.

A brief spell away at the Africa Cup of Nations came at the right time for Baleba, and he has returned to the Amex Stadium in good form and with a spring in his step.