Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler says the club needs to face different adversities after being asked about Manchester United agreeing to sign Carlos Baleba.
United have a £70million deal in place with the Seagulls to sign their Cameroon international midfielder. The club increased their offer for Baleba by £5million before the £65million plus £5million in add-ons bid was accepted on Friday.
Brighton's stance on Baleba
Sources say that Brighton's stance during last summer's transfer window was that they wanted 'more than Moises Caicedo was sold for'. Chelsea signed him from the Seagulls for a British record £115million three years ago.
Hurzeler, after being asked by BBC Radio Sussex whether there were any updates about Baleba after Sunday's win over Villa, said: "No, I can't tell you anything because we have to wait on how it develops in the next few hours."
"Overall, we have to understand that it's part of our identity, and that it's part of the journey the club is on. Therefore, I'm not here to complain."
"We all find solutions together, we need to stick together, and we need to face different adversities." Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul van Hecke have already left Brighton during this transfer window.
Manager's reaction
Brighton's head coach sounded notably more resigned to losing Baleba than he did during his pre-match press conference on Friday. Asked about Baleba, Hurzeler said: "He's a Brighton player."
"As I said, I'll never comment on any rumours that are currently in the media, it's also something I definitely can't control. A lot of things are written, and I know about situations."
Michael Carrick shared a similar stance after United lost to Hull City on Saturday. The head coach said: "I had all eyes on today, so any other player, until he's ours, it's not for me to comment on."
Expert analysis
Tony Cascarino talked up Baleba on talkSPORT during Sunday's programming, saying: "He can get around the pitch, high tempo, pressing, closing down, whatever way you want to look at it.
"I played against numerous Manchester United teams. They didn't let you breathe. You went to Old Trafford, you had a tin hat on, and that was basically so you wouldn't get battered, because Manchester United were not only great technically; they also had a great mentality and could fight."
"This team yesterday (against Hull) didn't look like they had any fight in them because that's what the whole city was about, and that's why they got beaten."
