Manchester United agree personal terms with Baleba in £65m Brighton deal

Manchester United are on the verge of signing Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba after agreeing personal terms with the 22-year-old Cameroonian, according to reports. The defensive midfielder has accepted a five-year contract that would keep him at Old Trafford until the summer of 2031, with the two clubs now working to finalise a transfer fee.

United have tabled a package worth approximately £60 million, with a further £5 million available in performance-related add-ons. Brighton had initially sought a higher valuation, but constructive talks between the two Premier League clubs have brought both sides closer to a full agreement than at any previous point in negotiations.

Baleba has been a long-standing target for United, who first identified him as a priority recruit last spring. A move during the January transfer window was explored but ultimately blocked by Brighton, who were unwilling to sell midway through the season. Dialogue between the clubs is said to have continued throughout, leaving United well-positioned when formal talks resumed this summer.

The Cameroonian joined Brighton as a replacement for Moïses Caicedo following the latter’s £115 million move to Chelsea in 2023, arriving from Lille. Since then, he has developed into one of the more highly regarded young box-to-box midfielders in the Premier League, combining defensive discipline with mobility and physical presence — qualities United’s midfield has been lacking.

With personal terms settled, the remaining obstacle is a final club-to-club agreement on the overall fee structure. Should negotiations conclude as United’s hierarchy hopes, a medical could be scheduled within days.