Manchester United Agree £65m Carlos Baleba Deal With Brighton

What happened: Manchester United have agreed a deal with Brighton for Carlos Baleba worth an initial £65m, The Guardian reported on Friday. The 22-year-old midfielder is expected in Manchester for a medical this weekend, making that examination and the remaining completion steps the immediate focus before the transfer can be finalized.

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Transfer terms: The report says the agreement contains a possible further £5m in add-ons. Even before those extras, Baleba would become United’s most expensive acquisition of the summer window. The move remains described conditionally because the medical and formal signing have not yet been completed.

Midfield rebuild: If Baleba signs, he will be the third midfielder added to Michael Carrick’s squad during the window. United have already recruited Youri Tielemans for £35m and Andrey Santos for an initial £48m, with a possible £2m in additional payments attached to the Santos deal. The Guardian calculated that Baleba’s arrival would take the club’s summer spending to £148m.

Baleba’s role: The Cameroon international is identified in the report as a defensive No. 6. That gives his proposed arrival a distinct place alongside Tielemans, described as a No. 8, and Santos, another holding midfielder. The agreement follows United’s unsuccessful effort to sign Baleba last summer.

The Brighton position: According to The Guardian, Brighton had wanted a fee last year in the region of the £115m the club received from Chelsea for Moisés Caicedo in 2023. United have now reached an agreement at a substantially lower guaranteed figure, although the potential add-ons could lift the final total.

Why it matters: Before the agreement was reached, Carrick stressed the importance of balance and consistency through the middle of his team. He said strong sides are built on a reliable spine and indicated that United would continue improving through coaching and player development. For now, the confirmed development is an agreement between the clubs; Baleba’s medical and completion of the signing are still to follow.