Baleba ‘private’ meeting revealed as Romano’s Man Utd update confirms ‘internal’ verdict

Manchester United target Carlos Baleba has reportedly held ‘private talks’ with Brighton over his future, while Fabrizio Romano has provided an update. In recent seasons, Baleba has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League and he attracted interest from Man Utd in the summer. The Red Devils are crying out for a quality No.6 and they made an audacious move for Baleba in the summer, though they were priced out of a move as Brighton demanded around £100m for his services. Still, a transfer remains possible heading into 2026, though Baleba’s form has declined in the opening couple of months of this season. Baleba appears to have been impacted by the ongoing transfer speculation, though The Sun have revealed that a knee issue is also behind his below-par performances. The outlet has also pointed out that Baleba has held ‘private talks’ with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, with it noted that he has ‘reassured’ the manager ‘of his commitment to the club’ as Man Utd ‘continue to monitor his situation closely’. Romano has also provided an update on Baleba, as Man Utd “internally” sees VfB Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller as a potential alternative. “I’m always receiving many questions on Angelo Stiller. There was a report from Bild in the last few days on Man Utd tracking the player. Man Utd have always been following this player. Stiller is really appreciated internally at Man Utd,” Romano said on his YouTube channel. READ: Mikel Arteta only third in Premier League manager rankings for 25/26 “Last summer, we had some stories on Man Utd going on a mission to Germany, negotiating to sign Stiller as a surprise for the final weeks. No, Man Utd never started any negotiations for Stiller in August last summer. That was never a possibility, it was always impossible. “Stiller was always going to stay at Stuttgart in the summer transfer window, especially in August. There was no chance to change the story in the final days of the window. “But Stiller remains a player monitored by Man Utd. They are following him. They are closely monitoring his progress.” MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365… 👉 Rashford’s Barcelona brilliance only proves how ‘lazy’ he was for Man Utd 👉 Man Utd flop ‘desperate to leave’ with West Ham a ‘potential option’ after latest Amorim snub 👉 Man Utd: ‘Very close’ Mainoo transfer to be ‘finalised’ on one condition as ‘concerns grow’ – report Romano has also made it clear that Amorim “wants an important midfielder in 2026”, while he has made it clear that Baleba cannot be forgotten in this situation. “Again, at the moment, there is no negotiation, no talks. But Ruben Amorim wants an important midfielder for Man Utd in 2026. We will see whether it’s going to be January, if it’s possible, or a summer transfer window. Stiller is one of the players being monitored,” Romano added. “Don’t forget about [Carlos] Baleba, don’t forget about other profiles. Man Utd are tracking midfielders. Stiller is an interesting player for Man Utd. “Stiller is a very respectful player, German, so he didn’t want to create any problem with Stuttgart in the summer transfer window, and he’s never going to be that kind of player, forcing moves, creating problems. “That’s not the attitude of Stiller. He’s a very serious guy, in a very good relationship with everyone at Stuttgart. At the moment, we are not at the stage where we have to mention a negotiation, a discussion. “There are several clubs keeping a close eye on him because he’s a very interesting one, very good player with potential to become even better.”