Manchester United complete £70m Carlos Baleba signing as midfield spend nears £150m

Manchester United confirmed on 25 August 2026 that they had completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in a deal worth up to £70m.

The Cameroon international is United’s third midfield acquisition this summer, following Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, and the arrivals have pushed the club’s outlay on midfielders to about £148m.

United agreed a base fee of £65m for Baleba plus £5m in add-ons and a sell-on clause with Brighton, with the total potential transfer value reported as up to £70m.

The club announced Baleba has signed a five-year contract with the option to extend for 12 months.

Baleba, who is 22 years old, 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 had previously made a move to sign Baleba last summer but cooled their pursuit after Brighton made it clear he was not leaving; Baleba was not at his best last season but United stepped up their interest in the 22-year-old a week ago.

United’s midfield turnover this summer comes amid the departure of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte sustaining a serious knee injury.

Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, said: “Carlos is an elite midfielder with immense potential to develop further. He brings a unique combination of qualities that will really complement our squad. "We are delighted to further strengthen our midfield with the addition of another established senior international with a proven track record of performing in the Premier League.”