Manchester United have completed the signing of Cameroon international Carlos Baleba from Brighton and Hove Albion in a deal reportedly worth £70 million. The 22-year-old midfielder was confirmed as a United player on Tuesday, subject to registration, becoming the club’s third midfield addition during the summer transfer window.
The move takes United’s reported spending on midfield reinforcements beyond £150 million, following the arrivals of Belgium’s Youri Tielemans and Brazil’s Andrey Santos. Baleba arrives as part of a significant reshaping of United’s midfield following the departure of veteran midfielder Casemiro at the end of last season.
United had been monitoring the Cameroon international for some time. The club reportedly considered signing him a year ago after two impressive seasons at Brighton, but were unwilling to meet the Premier League club’s asking price at the time. His performances dipped during the most recent campaign, but that did not convince United to abandon their interest.
The Old Trafford club highlighted Baleba’s defensive and ball-carrying abilities as key reasons for pursuing the midfielder.
United said that during the 2024/25 season, his combined tackles and interceptions ranked sixth among Premier League midfielders. He also ranked fourth in the league for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes. The club believes those qualities will add energy and physicality to a midfield undergoing a major transformation.
For Baleba, the move represents the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.
“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams,” the midfielder said. He also expressed his excitement at the prospect of playing at Old Trafford and working under United manager Michael Carrick.
“Playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour,” Baleba said. “I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick; his experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me to reach the highest level.”
The signing represents another major investment by United as Carrick continues to rebuild the squad. With Baleba now joining Tielemans and Santos, the club have significantly altered the composition of their midfield ahead of the new season.
