Manchester United Completes Major Signing of Midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton

Manchester United have successfully completed the signing of Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba from fellow English Premier League club Brighton. The 22-year-old becomes the third midfielder to join the Red Devils during the summer transfer window.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, the 20-time Premier League champions confirmed that Carlos Baleba has joined the club, subject to registration. Baleba has put pen to paper on a contract running until 2031, which includes an option to extend for an additional year, though the financial terms were not officially disclosed by the club.

Reports indicate that Brighton initially sought a deal valued at $100m, while United are believed to have secured the transfer for a fee of 70 million pounds ($95m). This latest acquisition brings Manchester United's total spending on midfield reinforcements to more than 150 million pounds ($204m) during the current transfer window.

Born in Douala, Cameroon, Baleba began his professional career in 2022 with French Ligue 1 side Lille before transferring to Brighton the following year, where he made 79 starts and surpassed 100 total appearances for the Seagulls. United had previously pursued the defensive midfielder during the previous summer and the January transfer window.

Baleba arrives at Old Trafford alongside fellow midfield arrivals Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, and he has also earned 16 international caps for Cameroon. Highlighting his defensive capabilities, United's statement noted that during the 2024/25 season, Baleba recorded the sixth-highest combined tackles and interceptions among league midfielders and ranked fourth-highest for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes.

Last season, Baleba featured in 31 Premier League matches, placing in the top eight percent of players for combined tackles and interceptions and the top one percent for second balls won, ultimately helping Brighton & Hove Albion secure qualification for the UEFA Conference League.

This triple reinforcement in midfield addresses the vacancy created by the departure of Brazil's former Real Madrid star Casemiro, who transferred to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in the United States.

Expressing his excitement, Carlos Baleba stated, "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."