Transfer 11/13: Baleba wants MU, Chelsea targets Wharton

David Ornstein confirms Manchester United and Carlos Baleba are both interested in each other, but Brighton are not selling; while Chelsea have made Adam Wharton their number one target for the January transfer window. In Europe, Barcelona are weighing up Harry Kane's £57m release clause as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Here's a look at the big deals this morning.

Baleba wants MU, but Brighton has not opened the door yet

Transfer expert David Ornstein said the deal between MU and Carlos Baleba had clear intentions from both sides, but the barrier was still Brighton's stance and the expected high price. Ornstein said: "Carlos Baleba, they want him, he also wants to move to Man Utd, but Brighton doesn't want to let Baleba go. We'll see what the future holds." He also recalled that last summer the deal fell through because the cost could be up to 100 million pounds.

With the player and MU showing signs of a similar will, the current bottleneck lies in Brighton's valuation and attitude towards keeping the player. This development focuses on the ability to negotiate price and timing, rather than professional issues or personal desires.

Chelsea target Adam Wharton in January

Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton is Chelsea's number one priority for reinforcements in the January transfer window. The England international is also on the radar of Man United and is not considered cheap, with a price tag of up to £100 million (Teamtalk).

Chelsea's priority reflects the need to strengthen their midfield in the winter, and competition from United means the value of the deal and the pace of negotiations could escalate when the window reopens.

Barcelona consider £57m Harry Kane clause

Barcelona have made Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) their top target to replace Robert Lewandowski next summer and could trigger the £57m release clause in Kane's contract with Bayern (Guardian). This is an approach that could decide the future of Barca's No. 9 if they are determined to change the striker position.

Other notable deals

• Son Heung-min insists he will not leave Los Angeles FC on loan in January after the MLS season ends (Evening Standard).
• Juventus want to recruit goalkeeper Mike Maignan when his contract with AC Milan expires; Maignan is also in Chelsea's sights (Gazzetta dello Sport).
• Chelsea have not made an enquiry about Real Madrid's Rodrygo; the player is also wanted by Manchester City and Tottenham (Fabrizio Romano).
• Juventus are deadlocked in contract talks with Kenan Yildiz; the striker has been linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid. Negotiations are on hold (Gazzetta dello Sport).
• Real Madrid are finalizing a deal for Endrick to join Lyon on loan in January (Globo Esporte).
• Kobbie Mainoo continues to be pursued by Napoli and Leeds United; Manchester United will only accept a loan if a replacement is found (Teamtalk).
• Andreas Christensen wants to stay at Barcelona but admits there is no “plan B” if the club does not renew his contract after next summer (Tipsbladet).
• Slaven Bilic was very close to returning to West Ham as manager before the club appointed Nuno Espirito Santo (Talksport).

Overview of the market

The picture on the morning of November 13 shows that the midfield is the hot spot: MU and Chelsea are simultaneously targeting high-priced midfielders such as Baleba and Wharton, while Barca solved the center forward problem by offering a release clause for Kane. The remaining developments focused on both ends of the field with goalkeepers, center backs and young strikers, reflecting the teams' deliberate preparation before the crucial stage of the season.