Carlos Baleba completes move from Brighton to Manchester United

Manchester United have signed Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a transfer to Old Trafford on 25 August 2026. The 22-year-old has won 16 caps for Cameroon.

United rekindled their interest in Baleba after deciding to reinforce midfield following the summer arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, who made their midfield debuts in the club's 2-0 Premier League defeat by Hull City in the season opener. The club attempted to sign Baleba near last year's transfer deadline but were deterred by Brighton's valuation, described as exceeding £100m. Baleba moved to Brighton from Lille in 2023 and is currently sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during Brighton's pre-season training camp in Austria.

Old Trafford will pay an initial £65m for Baleba, with a further potential £5m in add-ons included in the deal and Brighton negotiating a sell-on clause. Baleba has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option to extend for a further year. The transfer has taken United's summer spending to £153m as they prepare for a return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign.

At club level Baleba made 112 appearances for Brighton, scoring four times, including 31 Premier League appearances in the last season as Brighton finished eighth to qualify for the Conference League. He is expected to require a recovery period because of the ankle ligament injury picked up in pre-season.

On completing the move Baleba said: "It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams. Playing at Old Trafford is always special, but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour. 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 ambition of everyone at the club is extremely clear, the future is hugely exciting, and I am determined to play my part in delivering the success that we are capable of together."

United's interest was driven by Baleba's 2024-25 statistical output, with the midfielder ranked fourth among Premier League midfielders for possessions won in the middle third (107) and interceptions (46), fifth for ball recoveries (197) and seventh for duels won (199). He averaged 6.7 progressive carries per 90 minutes—only three qualifying Premier League defensive midfielders recorded more—and 2.9 of those carries travelled at least 10 metres. His 2025-26 campaign was described as quieter than the previous season.

The profile of Baleba emphasises athleticism and defensive activity: he reached a top speed of 34.5km/h in 2024-25 compared with 30.5km/h for Casemiro and averaged 8.2 defensive actions per 90. In possession metrics he was less line-breaking, with 11.8% of his passes classed as line-breaking and 22.7% travelling forward, both noted as below the average for central and defensive midfielders.

Baleba's positional data show he spent 88% of his minutes last season as a defensive midfielder and 12% in central midfield, and he has previously played at left-back; he is left-footed. The club assessment considered how he might pair with Kobbie Mainoo, Santos or Tielemans in midfield and noted United most commonly defended in a 4-2-2-2 shape last season, accounting for 55.9% of their out-of-possession structures. Adaptation to Carrick's possession-focused approach was identified as a potential requirement alongside the need to regain match sharpness after injury.

Baleba joins a midfield recruitment drive in which Paul Pogba remains the only midfield player United have signed for more than £70m, and United will be monitoring his recovery from the ankle ligament injury as he integrates into the squad.