21/08/2026
Manchester United have agreed a £70m deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.
The deal is worth £65m guaranteed, plus £5m in add-ons, and Brighton have also inserted a sell-on clause.
Baleba is expected to sign a five-year-contract with Manchester United and will undergo his medical in the next 24 hours.
Sky Sports News has been reporting on United's interest in Baleba since last autumn and broke the news that they had enquired about signing him during the January transfer window.
Baleba is recovering from an ankle ligament injury he picked up during pre-season, but it is not expected to keep him out for an extended period.
He remained one of United's top targets this summer and will become their third addition in midfield after Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.
Baleba joined Brighton from Lille in 2023 and made 112 appearances for the club. He featured 35 times last season and was absent for a spell while representing Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Is Baleba a major gamble or a game-changer for Man Utd?
Analysis by Sky Sports' William Bitibiri:
A year ago, Baleba appeared to have the world at his feet.
A breakout season at Brighton had established the then-21-year-old as one of the Premier League's most coveted young midfielders, with a move to one of Europe's elite clubs seemingly inevitable. Manchester United were among those interested, having identified Baleba as a potential transformative presence in midfield.
But Brighton's reported £100m-plus valuation proved a stumbling block. The move never materialised and Baleba stayed at the Amex.
His form subsequently dipped dramatically. His numbers fell and, at times, he looked a shadow of the midfielder who had generated so much excitement the previous season.
That makes this a gamble for United. But, stylistically, there are few midfielders better suited to what they need.
United require greater authority in the middle of the pitch and, crucially, someone capable of winning the ball back in deeper areas. Baleba brings exactly that. His athleticism, aggression and ability to carry the ball through midfield would add a level of dynamism and steel that is currently missing.
Santos and Tielemans have been astute additions, but Baleba offers something different: specialist defensive power coupled with the athleticism to drive United up the pitch.
His age is another major factor. Baleba is still only 22 and, despite his inconsistent season, there remains a belief around him that he can develop into one of the world's best midfielders.
That ambition is reflected in his influences. Baleba has spoken of his admiration for Paul Pogba, Yaya Toure and Andres Iniesta, while Neymar and Ronaldinho were among his favourite players to watch. There is a desire for self-expression in his game that goes beyond the physical qualities that made so highly rated.
There is risk attached to signing him. United would be betting on the player Baleba can become rather than simply the one he has been over the past 12 months.
But if United want to find a midfielder capable of growing into one of the best in his position, this is exactly the sort of gamble they should be willing to take.
