Manchester United are reportedly close to agreeing a £65million deal to sign a star from a Premier League club as Michael Carrick looks to complete his midfield rebuild
Manchester United are reportedly close to agreeing a deal to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.
United have made a £60million bid with £5m in add-ons to secure the 22-year-old Cameroon international. Baleba was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford last summer, and it looks as though Michael Carrick will finally land the final piece of his midfield rebuild.
It’s reported by The Athletic that amicable talks continue with all parties towards reaching an agreement over Baleba’s future.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Baleba would be United’s third midfield signing of the summer after Andrey Santos joined from Chelsea in a £50m deal and Youri Tielemans signed from Aston Villa for £35m.
The arrival of the Brighton man would leave Carrick spoilt for options in midfield, with Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes already first-team options.
Midfield was the main area of business this summer for the Red Devils after Casemiro left at the end of his contract and Manuel Ugarte suffered a long-term knee injury during the World Cup.
Countdown to Kickoff: The Essential 26/27 Sky Sports Bundle
Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.
This introductory offer saves £384 compared to the standard price, with every package also providing 100 regular channels alongside free Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.
The combative midfielder was heavily linked with a move to United last summer but the Reds were put off by his £100m price tag, which has dropped significantly over the past year.
Baleba previously shared a post about “coming to Old Trafford” just hours before Manchester United welcomed Brighton following his transfer saga, though the message was swiftly deleted.
The 15-time Cameroon international joined Brighton from Lille in 2023 and has played 112 times for the Seagulls, including 35 appearances in total last season having missed a large chunk of the campaign due to his participation in AFCON.