Manchester United sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton in £70m deal as Balde move edges closer

Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a deal worth up to £70million, with the Cameroon international committing to a five-year contract — plus an optional 12-month extension — at Old Trafford.

United will pay an initial £65m, with a further £5m available in add-ons. Brighton, who signed Baleba from Lille in 2023, have also secured a sell-on clause as part of the agreement.

The 22-year-old becomes United’s third midfield addition of the summer, following Andrey Santos (£50m) and Youri Tielemans (£35m), as manager Michael Carrick continues to reshape the engine room at Old Trafford.

“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams,” Baleba said after completing his medical. “Playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour. I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick; his experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me reach the highest level.”

Director of football Jason Wilcox described Baleba as “an elite midfielder with immense potential,” adding that his “unique combination of qualities will really complement our squad” as United look to build a side capable of competing across multiple competitions.

With one week remaining in the summer transfer window, United are now turning their attention to other positions. Left-back is identified as a priority, and contact has been made with Barcelona over Alejandro Balde, who was notably absent from their squad for Sunday’s match against Elche. A forward is also on the club’s radar, though any move in that area may hinge on the future of Joshua Zirkzee.

Baleba is not expected to be available immediately, however. The midfielder is nursing an ankle ligament injury that kept him out of Brighton’s opening two fixtures of the season, and his United debut is not anticipated until next month. The club host Ipswich this Sunday still searching for their first point of the Premier League campaign, having suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Hull in their opener.