Transfer confirmed
Manchester United have officially signed Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton for an initial £65 million, with a further £5 million in add‑ons. Brighton will also retain a sell‑on clause. The deal was finalised after Baleba completed a medical on Saturday and Fabrizio Romano confirmed that all paperwork had been exchanged and signed.
Contract details
Baleba will be on a five‑year contract that runs until the summer of 2031. The official announcement will follow once he signs the contract, with United’s manager Michael Carrick expected to welcome the new signing.
Injury setback
Baleba is currently nursing an ankle ligament injury sustained during Brighton’s pre‑season friendly win over Strasbourg. The injury is expected to keep him out for the first few weeks of the season, meaning he will not feature in Brighton’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa. The same injury situation applies to Liverpool target Yankuba Minteh, who underwent surgery on his right leg.
Debut timeline
It remains unclear exactly when Baleba will be ready to debut for United. Suggestions point to a mid‑September start, after the club’s fixtures against Ipswich and Everton. United will host Manchester City in the first derby of the season at Old Trafford on 13 September, then travel to Craven Cottage for a match against Fulham on 20 September. An extended three‑week international break follows, before the team resumes league action at home to Tottenham on 10 October.
Squad context
Baleba will be the third new midfielder signed by United this summer, following Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million. The additions were made after Casemiro left at the end of his contract in July, and Manuel Ugarte faces months on the sidelines after a serious knee injury at the World Cup.
Other arrivals
Baleba will be the fourth first‑team arrival of the window, with Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow joining on a free transfer from Leeds. United had also targeted Bryan Mbeumo’s international teammate last summer, but were reportedly quoted a fee in excess of £100 million.
