Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba is on the verge of joining Manchester United in a deal worth an initial £65 million this summer.
According to a report by The Guardian, Carlos Baleba has been the subject of sustained interest from Manchester United over the past year. The Red Devils have been eager to reinforce their first-team squad by signing a holding midfielder in the ongoing transfer window, and they have reached an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion over a package worth £70 million.
With Baleba on the verge of arriving at Old Trafford, he will become the most expensive acquisition of the summer transfer window for Manchester United. Per The Guardian, Manchester United are “privately delighted with the deal after failing to land him last summer”. They will also be glad at the value of the deal after Brighton demanded £115 million to sell Baleba 12 months ago.
Carlos Baleba has established himself as one of the best young prospects in the Premier League since joining Brighton & Hove Albion from LOSC Lille in August 2023. While the 22-year-old endured some teething problems, he has made substantial progress in the last three seasons, becoming a mainstay in the middle of the park for his club and country.
The Cameroonian international has made over 100 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion thus far while chipping in with four goals and two assists. Meanwhile, Baleba’s progress has piqued the attention of high-profile clubs in the last three years, and Manchester United will finally secure his services after chasing him for over a year.
Manchester United wanted to sign Carlos Baleba last summer, but a deal did not materialise. The continued interest has been understandable, as the Red Devils need a long-term holding midfield solution. With Casemiro departing from Old Trafford as a free agent and Manuel Ugarte failing to make his mark since joining Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain nearly two years ago, the situation has been concerning.
While Manchester United signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans earlier this summer, they needed an out-and-out holding midfielder to fill Casemiro’s void at Old Trafford. So, after pursuing several targets, they have finally zeroed in on Baleba as their top target and intensified the negotiations with Brighton.
Interestingly, reports a few weeks ago suggested that Manchester United would not pursue a deal for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder. However, with the club’s retained interest in the 22-year-old, he will soon move to Old Trafford. Per David Ornstein of The Athletic, Baleba will undergo his medical on Saturday, with the deal expected to complete before the end of the transfer window.
