Aspinall eyes Mount if Baleba joins Man Utd

[BBC] Former Brighton midfielder Warren Aspinall says the Seagulls should target Manchester United 's Mason Mount if the Red Devils renew their interest in Carlos Baleba. Baleba was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2025, but struggled for form last season in Fabian Hurzeler's side after no deal materialised. Mount himself has struggled for form and fitness since joining United from Chelsea in 2023. "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," Aspinall told the Albion Unlimited podcast. "He's not going to be in the side because they've just signed two midfield players in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. "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." The Red Devils appear to be the only side with concrete links with Baleba, and after signing two midfielders in a week, there is also a distinct possibility the midfielder stays at Brighton. If this is the case, Aspinall believes it is Hurzeler's responsibility to get his form back on track. Aspinall added: "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'. "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. "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. "If he does stay he needs to knuckle down and he can have a great season at Brighton. 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." Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds