The Seagulls travel to Old Trafford in the Premier League at a time when United have identified Baleba as a good fit for their project.
They will get a close-up look at how he performs in the Theatre of Dreams this afternoon but, while their admiration of him continues, there remains some doubt as to how much he is truly worth.
United touched base with Brighton about a transfer last summer. They knew the chances of a deal were slim but the intent was to let Baleba and Albion realise that their interest was genuine.
Brighton made it clear he was not for sale and refused to even quote a price - though briefings at the time suggested that he was valued upwards of £100 million.
Understanding of the situation now is that the club continue to rate him as highly in terms of market value and, as such, United insiders believe they would be unlikely to meet that.
In order for a Baleba deal to open up in January the price tag was going to need to drop - or United were going to have to be significantly convinced that he was worth such a huge sum.
Perhaps a big performance from him today can change the narrative.
Baleba, 21, is a suitable target in terms of fitting into a Ruben Amorim team - but United are wary of overpaying.
It is clear they have other options to look at and sources are increasingly sceptical of any Baleba deal being struck in January.
Baleba had an immense 2024/25 season for Brighton but has not had the same momentum this season.
He is yet to complete 90 minutes and his performance levels have not been at the same level as last term.
Brighton remain confident that he is starting to get back to his best and see him as an important player for them across the rest of this season.
The case remains that they are not entertaining approaches for the player and - for now - Baleba seems likely to stay at Brighton and United continue to assess other targets.
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