The Sun: Mbemo quietly persuaded Baleba to come to Manchester United and share the joy of joining Manchester United

The Sun reported that Mbemo quietly persuaded Baleba to join Manchester United.

The 26-year-old Mbemo and Brighton midfielder Baleba became increasingly close during the national team during Cameroon's Africa World Cup preliminaries. United's £71m summer signing may be the best candidate to persuade Baleba to switch from Brighton to Old Trafford.

Internal sources revealed that Mbemo has been sharing the joy of joining a big club like Manchester United with the 21-year-old Baleba and taking care of him like a "big brother". Despite Manchester United's inconsistent performance, Mbemo has been the bright spot in the team, scoring his first league goal for Manchester United against Burnley, helping the team win 3-2.

Mbemo has tried to encourage Baleba to push for a move in the January transfer window, although any transfer is more likely to take place next summer. Amorim's side were linked with Brighton's defensive midfielder this summer but have made no formal offer as they have spent more than £200m on Mbemo, Cunha and Sheszko.

Mbemo was not intimidated by Manchester United's worst record in the Premier League last season. Instead, he rejected invitations from Tottenham and Arsenal and chose to join Amorim's team. After Cameroon unexpectedly lost 1-0 to tiny Cape Verde in September, Mbemo comforted and protected Baleba from fans invading the pitch.

Manchester United is paying close attention to Baleba's progress, while Brighton hopes to keep him and requires a transfer fee of at least 100 million pounds. Manchester United are looking for a dynamic midfielder, and Amorim continues to adjust the midfield partner in his 3-4-2-1 formation to cooperate with captain B Fee.

Baleba is another example of Brighton's excellent scouting system. He joined as a replacement for Caicedo, the then British transfer record holder, who replaced Yves Bissouma, who moved to Tottenham for a high price. Mbemo scored against Mauritius last week to help Cameroon win 2-0, but a 0-0 draw with Angola on Monday left Cameroon four points behind group leaders Cape Verde. Cameroon's qualification for the World Cup will depend on next month's four-team play-offs, with Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon also vying for the final spot.