Baleba came close to joining Manchester United over the summer, though it's now suggested they're looking elsewhere ahead of the January market.
Asked about his role models, he told Sky Sports: "Kevin De Bruyne, Paul Pogba, Thiago Alcantara, and Sergio Busquets. I watch a lot of videos of them. I look at their positioning and their scanning of the pitch. But I try to be like Carlos Baleba.
"It's my ambition to be the best midfielder in the world," he added. "I just want to work hard, take some advice, and learn from the midfielders I watch.
"Not just in the Premier League, because I've learned a lot from there, like Rodri and others, but I also try to learn from players outside the Premier League. Like Ligue 1, Vitinha or Joao Neves. In La Liga, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets.
"I try to learn every day. I watch them often on YouTube."