Brighton Should Demand Mason Mount if United Pursue Carlos Baleba

Former Brighton midfielder Warren Aspinall believes the Seagulls should go on the front foot if Manchester United return for Carlos Baleba – by demanding Mason Mount as part of any deal.

Baleba, once tipped for a big-money move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2025, endured a difficult campaign under Fabian Hürzeler after that transfer never materialised. The noise around him faded. So did his form.

United, though, remain the only club with a serious, long-running interest. And Aspinall thinks Brighton should be ready if Erik ten Hag’s side come calling again.

“I was thinking – if Baleba did go to Manchester United then I'd see if I could get Mason Mount as part of the deal,” he told the Albion Unlimited podcast.

It is a provocative idea, but not a random one. Mount’s United career has stalled since his move from Chelsea in 2023, hampered by injuries and a struggle to find rhythm in a constantly shifting midfield. Now, with United adding Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos in quick succession, the 25-year-old risks slipping even further down the pecking order.

“He's not going to be in the side because they've just signed two midfield players in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos,” Aspinall said. “Those two and Kobbie Mainoo will be starters, so where does that leave Mount? They have good players coming through in the likes of Tyler Fletcher.”

That is the crux of Aspinall’s argument. United are crowding their midfield. Brighton, historically clever in the market, could exploit that congestion if Baleba’s name goes back on the Old Trafford agenda.

For now, though, there is a very real chance nothing happens. United’s business in the middle of the park may already be done. If no bid arrives, Baleba stays – and then the challenge moves squarely onto Hürzeler’s desk.

Aspinall is clear: if Brighton keep him, they must rebuild him.

“For Baleba, the manager has to sit him down in a one-to-one situation and say, ‘look, just get your head down, do what you did not last season but the season before, and they will all come for you then’,” he said.

This is not blind faith. Aspinall has seen enough to know what Baleba can be when the noise dies down.

“They would all be after him because he's excellent. He's strong, powerful, breaks the lines very well. It was easy for him in certain games.”

The warning is equally sharp. A whiff of Old Trafford can turn a season on its head, and not always in a good way.

“Sometimes you get a sniff from a club like Manchester United and you start to think about that big move and big payday but it has not happened. You have to get your head down, go again, and see where it takes him.”

So the crossroads is clear. If United revive their pursuit, Brighton could try to twist the situation to their advantage and prise Mount away. If they do not, Hürzeler must coax the old Baleba back – the one who dominated midfields, not the one who drifted through last season.

“If he does stay he needs to knuckle down and he can have a great season at Brighton,” Aspinall said. “If he plays well, Brighton play well because he wins that midfield battle. If he is at the top of his game he makes his team-mates believe.”

One midfielder’s response to a stalled move, and one club’s courage in negotiations, could yet define Brighton’s next step.