Man Utd agree £70m Carlos Baleba deal with Brighton as midfielder heads for medical

Manchester United have taken a massive step toward completing their summer rebuild after reaching an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion for Carlos Baleba. The highly-rated midfielder is now expected to travel for a medical as Michael Carrick looks to bolster his engine room following a series of high-profile departures and injuries.

Red Devils land primary midfield target
According to The Athletic, Manchester United have successfully negotiated a deal for Brighton star Baleba, with the total package for the Cameroon international set to reach £70 million. The two Premier League clubs reached a definitive breakthrough in talks after weeks of speculation surrounding the 22-year-old's future, with United paying a guaranteed fixed fee of £65m alongside £5m in add-ons. The midfielder is expected to travel tonight ahead of a scheduled medical on Saturday.
Manchester United continue to stay active in the summer transfer window as they prepare for their return to the Champions League. The Red Devils have already bolstered Carrick's squad with the acquisitions of Andrey Santos from Chelsea, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, and goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Leeds United.

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Addressing a crisis in the engine room
The pursuit of Baleba comes at a pivotal moment for United, whose central midfield options have been thinned by summer departures and key injuries. With Casemiro departing on a free transfer and Manuel Ugarte sidelined by a ligament injury suffered at the World Cup, reinforcing the middle of the pitch became a top priority for the club's recruitment team.
Despite the excitement surrounding his arrival, Baleba is working his way back to full fitness after a pre-season setback. The Cameroon international is currently sidelined with an ankle ligament injury sustained during the summer break, which kept him out of Brighton's goalless draw against Tromso in the first leg of their Conference League qualifier on Thursday.
Data-driven pursuit yields results
United's interest in the former Lille midfielder is far from a sudden development, with the club's recruitment team keeping close tabs on his progress for several seasons. Old Trafford scouts monitored Baleba extensively throughout the 2025-26 campaign, having already explored a potential deal for the Cameroonian last summer.
Baleba's ascent to the upper echelons of English football has been swift since arriving from Ligue 1. After joining Brighton from Lille in the summer of 2023, the midfielder made 112 appearances for the Seagulls, though he was limited to 23 Premier League starts last season.

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Brighton's summer exodus continues
Baleba will become the latest high-profile departure from Brighton this summer, following the exits of Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham Hotspur, Danny Welbeck to Chelsea, and Diego Coppola to Paris FC.
Brighton kick off their new Premier League campaign by hosting Aston Villa on Sunday, while Manchester United travel to face newly-promoted Hull City tomorrow, Saturday.