Man Utd 'make final decision' on submitting Carlos Baleba swap deal offer

Manchester United's Toby Collyer won't be used as a bargaining chip in a potential swap deal for Carlos Baleba. With the signing of Benjamin Sesko on the horizon, Ruben Amorimis keen to bolster his midfield options, and Brighton's Baleba has been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Brighton have slapped a £100million price tag on Baleba, and there has been speculation that United's young talent Collyer could be offered as part of the deal amid the troubling financial position.

United will need to sell in order to buy again after committing a large portion of their wage budget on Sesko, whose £74m move is expected to be confirmed soon.

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That has led to suggestions that United could use Collyer to lower Baleba's price tag. However, according to the Manchester Evening News, he will not be involved in any negotiations.

Rumours had suggested that Collyer might be used to sweeten the deal for Baleba this summer, given that the 21-year-old came through the ranks at Brighton before leaving in 2022.

It was previously claimed that the opportunity to sign Collyer was unexpected. He was considered one of the best midfielders in his age group, and a source at United confessed they were taken aback by the chance to sign him, but they were thrilled to do so.

Born in Worthing, just 10 miles from Brighton, Collyer seemed destined for a first-team spot at the Amex Stadium until he was released. Collyer's future, however, remains uncertain this summer. The midfielder has attracted loan interest and it's believed other clubs are considering a permanent transfer, reports the Manchester Evening News.

It seems likely that Collyer will be heading out on loan. "I think first and foremost I want to be here and play as many games for Man United as possible," he expressed during his time in the USA.

He plans to have a discussion with the club's management about his future. "I'll sit down with the manager and higher-ups and see what's the best solution for that. The best way for me to develop, whether it's stay here or go on loan," he said.

"The end goal for me is to play as many minutes as possible here, hopefully starting every week. So yeah, I'll sit down with them. Obviously, my feeling at this moment is I want to stay.

"I want to play as many games as possible. I've not really thought that far ahead to be honest. I'll just see how the next few weeks go and then we'll go over those conversations.

"I'll be able to sit down with them and see what's the best solution for that. But yeah, like you said there as well, obviously there's not a lot of time in football. You need to get the results and get the team progressing. So that's what we're working towards at the minute."

Collyer made an impression last season when he debuted against Liverpool at Old Trafford, making 13 appearances overall despite a minor muscle injury. Last summer, insiders revealed Erik ten Hag's high regard for Collyer, and another source noted his exceptional 'freakish' running stats during training, surpassed only by Bruno Fernandes.

Amorim has also been vocal in his commendation of Collyer, noting the player's potential and work ethic in January, as he said: "He has very good legs, he's improving with the ball. He knows what he needs to do to play for this club and feels the club in the right way. He's really humble and when you work hard, you get the opportunity."

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