Manchester United lodge £60m plus £5m add-ons bid for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba

On 19 August 2026 Manchester United made an initial offer of £60m plus £5m in add-ons to Brighton for midfielder Carlos Baleba as part of their summer recruitment.

United are confident of signing the 22-year-old for less than £75m, and Baleba has agreed personal terms. The offer is below Brighton’s valuation.

Brighton had valued Baleba at about £100m last summer when he was already a United target. His price has fallen after largely uneven performances last season and he has an ankle injury, and he would be United’s third midfielder recruit of the summer after Youri Tielemans, who was signed for £35m from Aston Villa, and Andrey Santos, who arrived for £48 from Chelsea.