Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is a doubt for the start of the 2026-27 season after suffering an ankle ligament injury during pre-season.
The Seagulls are hopeful the problem is not a long-term setback, although the Cameroon international is expected to spend a spell on the sidelines.
Baleba missed Brighton’s 4-3 friendly win over Strasbourg on Saturday after sustaining the injury.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side still have pre-season fixtures against Roma and Bologna before beginning their competitive campaign with a UEFA Conference League qualifier against Tromso or CFR Cluj on August 20.
Brighton then host Aston Villa in their opening Premier League match three days later.
The 22-year-old attracted interest from Manchester United towards the end of last season, but a move never materialised.
United had broadly agreed personal terms with Baleba last summer and continued to monitor his progress throughout the 2025-26 campaign before opting to strengthen their midfield with the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans instead.
Baleba made 31 Premier League appearances last season, his third campaign with Brighton following his move from Lille in 2023.
Brighton have been active in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Luka Vuskovic, Michael Svoboda, Pascal Struijk, Costinha and Zadok Yohanna.
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