Manchester United have agreed a deal worth up to £70m for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the 22-year-old expected to undergo a medical at Old Trafford this weekend.
A breakthrough was reached in negotiations between the clubs on Friday evening, allowing Baleba to move closer to becoming United’s latest signing. The initial fee is £65m, with a further £5m available in potential add-ons.
Brighton have also secured a sell-on clause as part of the agreement for the Cameroon international, who joined the Seagulls from Lille in 2023.
Baleba is currently recovering from an ankle injury sustained during Brighton’s pre-season training camp in Austria. His eagerness to move to Manchester helped accelerate the negotiations and should see the transfer completed once the formalities, including his medical, are concluded.
The proposed deal would take Manchester United’s summer spending to £153m. It also represents a significant reduction on the fee Brighton were seeking as the 2025 transfer deadline approached.
United identified Baleba as a target earlier this week after deciding further midfield reinforcement was required. The club had already signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa during the summer.
The transfer is expected to complete United’s midfield recruitment following the departure of veteran Brazil international Casemiro, whose contract expired.
Manuel Ugarte had also been expected to leave Manchester United this summer, but his situation changed after he suffered a serious knee injury while on World Cup duty with Uruguay.
Baleba’s arrival will give head coach Michael Carrick another physically powerful and athletic option in midfield. His ability to cover ground is viewed as an important addition to Carrick’s squad.
The move could also have implications for United’s search for defensive cover. It remains unclear whether the club will continue looking for a left-back to compete with Luke Shaw.
Baleba is left-footed and has occasionally played at left-back, while regular right-backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have both been used on the left. Those options may provide Carrick with the cover he needs, although the club has yet to decide whether to pursue another specialist in the position.
Alongside Santos and Tielemans, England international Kobbie Mainoo is available for Manchester United’s Saturday lunchtime Premier League trip to newly promoted Hull City.
Baleba’s move remains subject to the completion of his medical and the final stages of the transfer process. If completed, it will mark United’s latest major investment as Carrick continues to reshape his squad.
