Carl Rushworth: How Man United could derail Brighton’s transfer plans | OneFootball

Manchester United have set their sights on a second Brighton & Hove Albion player after Carlos Baleba.

United are thought to be “the best placed club” to sign Baleba in the summer, with Brighton expected to significantly lower their demands for the athletic defensive midfielder.

The Red Devils have been monitoring Baleba‘s progress since last summer amid their search for an ideal replacement for Casemiro. Now, another Brighton talent has landed on the club’s radar.

Manchester United show interest in Carl Rushworth

According to Teamtalk, Manchester United are interested in Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

The “phenomenal” 24-year-old shot-stopper has had multiple loan spells away from Brighton since joining the club’s youth side in 2019.

Currently, he is the starting goalkeeper at Coventry City, who sit at the top of the Championship table. The Englishman has 11 clean sheets to his name, more than any other player in England’s second tier this term.

Incredibly, Rushworth is yet to make his debut for his parent club, who regard the highly-rated goalkeeper as Bart Verbruggen’s successor. The current Brighton number one is attracting strong interest from clubs such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, United might disrupt the Seagulls’ succession plan, as Rushworth has caught their eye.

The report adds: “The 24-year-old is eager to become Brighton’s first-choice goalkeeper, and with his current deal running until 2027, the club knows he is unlikely to sign a new contract if he remains as a backup.”

Manchester United looking for Altay Bayındır’s replacement

A separate report on Wednesday suggested United have reached an agreement with Besiktas for Altay Bayındır’s transfer at the end of the campaign.

As such, United would need a new goalkeeper to compete with Senne Lammens for the starting spot. The 23-year-old Belgian has been hailed for his calm demeanour and commanding box presence, but he is still relatively inexperienced.

Rushworth could find the opportunity to stake a claim for a first-team spot at United tempting if Brighton fail to guarantee him an integral role next season.

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