Brighton’s Carlos Baleba a doubt for start of the season with ankle injury.

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba has suffered an ankle ligament injury and is a doubt for the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Baleba is expected to spend a period on the sidelines but Brighton hope the problem is not a long-term one.

The Cameroon international sustained the injury during pre-season and was absent from Brighton’s friendly against Strasbourg on Saturday, a 4-3 win.

After further friendlies against Roma and Bologna, Fabian Hurzeler’s side begin their season on Thursday, August 20 with the away leg of their Conference League qualifier against Tromso or CFR Cluj. Brighton start their Premier League campaign three days later at home against Aston Villa.

Baleba had been the subject of transfer interest from Manchester United at the end of last season, but no move has materialised for the 22-year-old. United had broadly agreed personal terms with Baleba last summer and continued to track him during the 2025-26 season, but have instead moved for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to add to their midfield ranks.

Baleba made 31 Premier League appearances for Brighton last season, his third on the south coast after signing from Lille in the summer of 2023.

Brighton have so far signed Luka Vuskovic, Michael Svoboda, Pascal Struijk, Costinha and Zadok Yohanna during this transfer window.

What does Baleba’s injury mean for Brighton?

Analysis from Brighton correspondent Andy Naylor

Baleba’s injury is a blow. Brighton begin their season earlier than normal with the away leg of a tie against Romanian side Cluj or Norwegian outfit Tromso in the Europa Conference League on August 20 before the Premier League campaign commences at home to Aston Villa three days later.

Head coach Fabian Hurzeler is, however, accustomed to adapting his midfield options after Baleba’s form dipped dramatically last season amid strong transfer interest from Manchester United.

The Cameroonian made 23 starts out of 38 in the league, was substituted by Hurzeler at half-time on four occasions and only completed 90 minutes three times.

Brighton need Baleba fit and firing, back to the box-to-box power he showed in the 2024-25 season, which attracted United’s interest and had other heavyweight European clubs glancing admiringly in his direction.