Fabian Hurzeler said that he was certain that Carlos Baleba would still be a Brighton and Hove Albion player after the transfer window shuts on Monday night (1 September).
The highly rated 21-year-old Cameroon midfielder has been linked with Manchester United over the summer but a move has yet to materialise.
United’s poor start to the new campaign has prompted fresh speculation that Ruben Amorim may come back in for the young international with a big-money offer.
Amorim’s woes worsened on Wednesday (27 August) when the former European champions were humbled by Grimsby Town in the second round of the League Cup. United lost 12-11 on penalties after coming back from two goals down.
When Hürzeler was asked if he was 100 per cent confident that Baleba would stay, he told a press conference: “Yes. If there is a number more than 100, I would even say more than 100. I am confident.”
He was speaking as the Seagulls prepare to host Manchester City at the Amex Stadium on Sunday (31 August) fresh from a 6-0 midweek victory at Oxford United in the League Cup.
One of Brighton’s summer signings, the Greek teenager Stefanos Tzimas, struck twice.
And last November, when Albion hosted City in the corresponding fixture, it was Baleba who dazzled as the Seagulls came back from a goal down to win 2-1.
Questions remain after the sale of Joao Pedro about whether Brighton have a reliable goal-getting striker.
Last season, he scored 10 times in 27 Premier League appearances before going on to make an immediate impact at Chelsea. Mind you, Welbeck also scored 10 league goals.
Hürzeler said that he was unsure whether more additions would follow, though, during the final days of the transfer window.
He said: “I have a feeling that sometimes it is not so clever to share always the feeling you have in public but, overall, I am very happy with the squad.
“I have daily exchange with Tony (Bloom), with Paul (Barber), with David (Weir), so overall I’m very pleased with how the process went so far and let’s see if there might be any more changes.”
