Carlos Baleba admires Toni Kroos and Rodri, but his first idol was a Man Utd ace

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Manchester United are considering a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, according to reports.

United supporters have been talking about Baleba for much of the summer window, hoping the club would make a move.

The club first showed interest in Baleba back in 2023, and according to Graeme Bailey from United In Focus, they have stayed in regular contact with his representatives since then.

Rio Ferdinand has described him as a ‘Ruben Amorim type player’, suggesting he would fit well into the Red Devils’ setup.

Carlos Baleba spoke of high ambitions and the players he looks up to

In an interview from earlier this year, Baleba spoke about iconic Champions League winners who set the standard he wants to reach.

Speaking to The Sun, Baleba named two former Real Madrid stars, saying: “I need to stay focused, stay calm, not rush, and not let what people write get in my head. If I keep working hard, I can be like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos. I just need to stay grounded.”

And despite his efforts to remain level-headed, the 21-year-old midfielder has high ambitions for himself. Seeing City midfielder Rodri win the top individual honour in world football only fuelled that further.

• READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand predicts how Premier League defenders would react if Benjamin Sesko joins Man Utd

He said: “I want to win the Ballon d’Or like Rodri. I watched him during the Euros and before his injury when I played against him – every time I got the ball, he was right in front of me.

“His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon d’Or someday.”

The path forward is clear for Baleba. Joining a club with global reach could help him reach that goal.

While Man United are not currently playing Champions League football, they do offer a big stage and plenty of quality around him. The rest will be down to what he can deliver.

Paul Pogba was Carlos Baleba’s earliest football idol

Carlos Baleba has always admired former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, a feeling he first spoke about in 2022 during his early days at Lille.

In an interview with the club website, Baleba said: “I had a lot of idols that I watched on TV, especially in midfield: Paul Pogba at first, Kevin De Bruyne at second, and Thiago Alcântara at third. I watched them, I tried to imitate what they did. I never had any other dream than football.”

If Baleba does end up moving to Old Trafford, the transfer fee might not be far off what was paid for Pogba back in 2016.

The French star remains United’s most expensive signing at £89 million. Brighton would likely expect a significant sum for Baleba too, especially after receiving more than £100 million from Chelsea for Moises Caicedo two years ago.