Latest developments
- Liverpool are monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion talent Carlos Baleba.
- The 21-year-old Baleba is a midfield mainstay under Fabian Hurzeler.
- Manchester City & Chelsea are also eyeing the Cameroon midfielder.
Whisper+ Analysis
Authenticity (4.5/5): Links carry weight
There is transfer chatter suggesting Liverpool and Arne Slot could consider Baleba as part of their long-term plan.
According to GiveMeSport, the Merseyside giants want to sign Baleba as soon as the transfer window reopens. However, the narrative seems muddled by the club’s extensive midfield depth.
Value (2.5/5): Big investment for the future
According to the report, interested suitors will have to pay at least £100m to match Brighton’s valuation of the defensive midfielder.
However, Baleba’s price tag lies around £30m, and at just 21, a bid in the range of the former seems overpriced to say the least.
Suitability (3.5/5): Fit on paper
Technically, Baleba’s defensive qualities to man the middle of the pitch align with Slot’s intricate passing game. The Cameroonian is seen as the perfect addition to the Liverpool squad despite the plethora of talent at their disposal.
Upgrade (3/5): Incremental change over transformational impact
Adding Baleba could provide squad depth, but it is unlikely to revolutionise Liverpool’s star-studded midfield, where Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister constitute the first-choice starting midfield. Should he arrive, he would battle Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott for game time in the Reds squad.
Logic (3/5): Strategic question of necessity
From the player’s perspective, a move to Liverpool is definitely a step up after two years at Brighton. However, a transfer might not produce immediate results for Baleba, given Liverpool’s existing squad depth. Waiting out for a year or so to develop further makes perfect sense.
Whisper+ Verdict: 16.5/25
Given the Reds’ significant depth in central midfield, it remains debatable whether this signing is crucial. Unless Baleba can offer a distinct tactical advantage that others do not, his addition might simply be the case of having too many cooks in the kitchen.
