Brighton Split with Technical Director David Weir as Man United Circle Talent

Brighton & Hove Albion have parted company with technical director David Weir, a development that could shape Manchester United’s next move for Carlos Baleba.

The Premier League club framed the exit as a desire for “new leadership and direction,” with chairman Tony Bloom and CEO Paul Barber both thanking Weir for his work.

Sudden Exit After Seven Years’ Work

Weir first joined Brighton in 2018 to oversee player pathways, later stepping up to assistant technical director and, in May 2022, replacing Dan Ashworth in the top role. His remit spanned recruitment, analysis, academy alignment and player welfare across the men’s and women’s teams. The club’s brief announcement emphasised a strategic refresh rather than any behind-the-scenes fallout, signalling a pivot in how Albion intend to run football operations moving forward.

Knock-On Effects for Baleba

The timing intersects with United’s continued admiration for Baleba. Brighton rebuffed summer approaches amid valuations reported north of nine figures, and noise around Old Trafford suggests the interest could be revisited in 2026 if conditions suit. A leadership change in the technical department can subtly alter negotiation posture, either hardening

Brighton’s stance in the short term or, conversely, resetting internal priorities around medium-term asset management. For now, signals out of Manchester indicate patience rather than a winter push, with the player continuing to accrue Premier League minutes and value on the South Coast.

Brighton’s Strategic Fork in the Road

Under Bloom, Brighton’s competitive edge has been process: elite scouting, data-led identification, and value extraction in timing sales. Weir’s tenure coincided with significant profits and a conveyor belt of development wins, but succession is a constant theme at the club. A new leader in the technical role will inherit a lean first-team squad and a set of prized assets, of which Baleba is central. Maintaining price discipline while keeping the squad balanced through 2025/26 is the immediate test.

Site Opinion

This is classic Brighton: evolve before you stall. Weir’s exit won’t suddenly make Baleba cheap, nor will it push Albion into a sale they do not want. If anything, a short period of consolidation is likely as a successor embeds, with messaging aligned around continuity and control.

From United’s side, waiting out the season tracks with a broader shift towards staged squad building rather than deadline-day lunges. If Baleba’s trajectory holds, the real negotiation begins next summer, when Brighton can maximise leverage and the incoming technical lead can put a first stamp on talent strategy. Until then, expect the number to stay high and the door only to open on Brighton’s terms.