Manchester United complete signing of Carlos Baleba from Brighton
Manchester United have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, bringing him to Old Trafford, the club confirmed on August 25, 2026. The 22-year-old Cameroon international has signed a contract running until June 2031, with United holding the option to extend by a further year.
The transfer, reported to be worth more than 70 million British pounds, finishes a targeted midfield recruitment drive under Michael Carrick after the arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. United had set out to add three midfielders this summer and Baleba becomes the third major acquisition; the club’s pursuit of him stretched back to last season but Brighton’s valuation delayed a deal.
Baleba moved to Brighton from Lille in 2023 and has made 112 appearances for the Seagulls. He has been described in the source material as one of the Premier League’s most highly rated young midfielders.
Statistically, Baleba’s 2024/25 season placed him sixth among midfielders for combined tackles and interceptions and fourth for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes. Last season he made 31 Premier League appearances for Brighton, starting 23 games, ranked in the top eight per cent of players for combined tackles and interceptions and the top one per cent for second balls won, and helped Brighton qualify for the UEFA Conference League.
On his move to United 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," Baleba said. "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 director of football Jason Wilcox added: "Carlos is an elite midfielder with immense potential to develop further. He brings a unique combination of qualities that will really complement our squad," Wilcox said. "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."
Baleba’s arrival follows United’s opening-day defeat to Hull City and is expected to provide Michael Carrick with additional options in midfield; his physicality, tackling and ability to carry the ball are cited as attributes that should complement Kobbie Mainoo. After adding Santos and Tielemans, United have now completed the midfield rebuild they set out to achieve this summer, and after months of waiting, Baleba is finally a Manchester United player.
