Carlos Baleba to wear No.20 at Manchester United

Carlos Baleba is set to join Manchester United after the club's 2-0 opening-day Premier League defeat to Hull City at the MKM Stadium, a report published on August 24, 2026, said. The report also states Baleba will wear the No.20 shirt at Old Trafford.

After more than a year of pursuit, Manchester United are set to sign the Cameroonian international from Brighton & Hove Albion. He is expected to be added to United's midfield alongside Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. United's midfield was overrun in the 2-0 loss at the MKM Stadium, a shortcoming Michael Carrick's team must address. Squad depth is being prioritised as Champions League football returns to the "Theatre of Dreams" this summer.

Sam C on X reported that Baleba has been assigned the No.20 jersey, posting: "🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Carlos Baleba will wear the No.20 shirt for Manchester United.#ImABaleba pic.twitter.com/US2CAXsl68". Baleba initially took the No.20 shirt after joining Brighton in 2023 and retained it throughout the 2024-25 campaign. The report describes him as having been one of the most exciting defensive midfielders in the Premier League during that season.

He switched to the No.17 shirt last summer at Brighton. The report says he will revert to No.20 at Manchester United.

The No.20 shirt has previous United associations: it was worn by Robin van Persie during his debut season, it was last worn by Diogo Dalot prior to his move to No.2, and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also wore the number.

Once the transfer is formally confirmed, the shirt number is unlikely to be the main focus at United. Greater attention will fall on Baleba's potential to bolster Michael Carrick's midfield after the opening-day defeat to Hull City.

His debut date has not yet been confirmed. He is expected to feature soon once his registration and fitness are complete.