'Young and exciting' - Bruno Fernandes hails £70m new Man Utd signing Carlos Baleba

The Red Devils have officially completed the signing of midfielder Baleba from Brighton in a transfer worth up to £70 million. United will pay an initial £65m fee, with a further £5m included in add-ons.

The 22-year-old Cameroon international has signed a contract at Old Trafford until 2031. United also retain an option to extend the deal for a further year as they commit to the player long term. Baleba's arrival marks the end of a long pursuit by the club, with the midfielder having been linked with a switch to Old Trafford for some time.

Fernandes has hailed the signing, expressing his excitement about what the newcomer can bring alongside him in midfield. Speaking at the PFA Awards after being named the 2026 Players' Player of the Year, the Portuguese star revealed Old Trafford scouts had long been admirers.

"He's a very energetic player. Strong physically, he can push us up the pitch driving the ball," Fernandes explained "Young and exciting, the club have been following him for two years."

The Cameroon international arrives at Old Trafford with three full seasons of Premier League experience under his belt. He originally joined Brighton from French club Lille in 2023 for an initial £23.2m fee. His signature completes a major bolster of the United midfield during the current transfer window. The club have already brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.

Baleba arrives with United eager to quickly put a disappointing start to the season behind them. Midfield partners Santos and Tielemans both started alongside captain Fernandes on the opening weekend, but the Red Devils suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat away at promoted Hull City. His integration into the midfield will be crucial as Carrick seeks to get United's campaign up and running.