Manchester United complete £70m deal for Carlos Baleba

Carlos Baleba becomes one of United’s biggest summer signings

Manchester United have completed the signing of Cameroon international Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a deal worth up to £70 million. The 22-year-old midfielder becomes one of the club’s most significant additions of the summer transfer window.

United will pay an initial fee of £65 million, with another £5 million potentially due in performance-related add-ons. Brighton have also secured a sell-on clause that will entitle them to a percentage of any future transfer fee.

Baleba has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option of extending the agreement for a further season. He joins a midfield that has already been strengthened by the arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.

A major addition to Michael Carrick’s project

Despite signing Santos and Tielemans, Manchester United believed they still needed greater physical strength, mobility and ball-winning ability in central midfield. Baleba consequently emerged as the club’s leading target to round out Michael Carrick’s options in that area.

United also tried to sign the Cameroon international towards the end of last summer’s transfer window. Those negotiations failed to progress because Brighton were demanding more than £100 million for the midfielder.

The Old Trafford club returned to the negotiating table following a disappointing start to the new Premier League season. Carrick’s side suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat away to Hull City in a match in which Santos and Tielemans made their first starts together in midfield.

Baleba’s arrival takes Manchester United’s summer spending to £153 million. The team are preparing to return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign, and the club’s hierarchy are attempting to give Carrick a squad capable of competing on several fronts.

Baleba fulfils his Old Trafford dream

Manchester United’s newest signing made no attempt to hide his emotions after completing the move. Baleba described his arrival at Old Trafford as the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition and expressed his excitement at the prospect of working under Carrick.

“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams,” Baleba said. “Playing at Old Trafford is always special, but having the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player is a genuine honour.

“I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick. His experience and understanding of football make him the perfect coach to help me reach the highest possible level.

“The ambition throughout the club is extremely clear, the future is very exciting and I am determined to play my part in the success we can achieve together.”

Baleba will have to wait before making his competitive debut for United. He is recovering from ankle ligament damage sustained during Brighton’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

His return will be handled carefully, as he will also require time to regain full match fitness after completing his rehabilitation.

An emotional farewell to Brighton

Baleba joined Brighton from Lille in 2023 at the age of 19. During his three seasons in English football, he made 112 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals.

The midfielder featured 31 times in the Premier League last season as Brighton finished eighth and qualified for the Conference League.

Baleba delivered an emotional farewell message to the club’s supporters in a video. He recalled a particularly difficult moment during a match against Aston Villa, when he was substituted after only 22 minutes.

“Last season was difficult,” Baleba admitted in his farewell video.

“There was an evening match against Aston Villa when I was taken off after 22 minutes. I sat on the bench and could not lift my head. You did not boo me. I have thought about that moment more than you could ever imagine. You had every reason to do it, but you did not.

“I will follow your results every week for the rest of my life. Thank you, Brighton supporters.”

The message underlined the strong bond Baleba developed with the fans of the club that gave him the opportunity to establish himself in the Premier League. Although his final campaign did not reach the same standards as the previous one, he remained one of Brighton’s most valuable players.

Bruno Fernandes backs his new teammate

The Cameroon international’s arrival has been warmly received inside the Manchester United dressing room. Bruno Fernandes believes Baleba will add a different dimension to the team and can become an important part of Carrick’s long-term project.

“He is a huge talent and someone the club has been tracking for a very long time,” United captain Fernandes told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He is a player who can improve our team and has qualities that are different from those of the players already in the squad.

“The expectations are very high, but we also know that he needs time to develop into an even better version of himself. We are here to help him settle as quickly as possible and contribute to winning matches.”

The Portugal international also stressed the importance of allowing Baleba time to adapt. United have paid a substantial fee for the midfielder, but he is still only 22 and has considerable room for improvement.

Physical strength, power and mobility

Manchester United will hope to see Baleba rediscover the form he showed during the 2024-25 season, when his performances attracted interest from several leading Premier League clubs.

His performances dipped during the following campaign, but players with his particular combination of attributes remain difficult to find in the transfer market.

United considered other options as they looked to reinforce their midfield. A possible move for Mateus Fernandes could have affected the club’s plans, while the injury suffered by Mason Mount in the friendly against Paris Saint-Germain further reduced Carrick’s options ahead of the Premier League opener.

Even after recruiting Santos and Tielemans, United still needed a midfielder capable of adding strength in duels and covering large areas of the pitch quickly. Baleba fits that requirement through his athleticism, controlled aggression and willingness to work without the ball.

The Cameroon international is strong in possession, moves rapidly between the penalty areas, competes effectively in the air and reacts quickly when danger develops. He can regain possession, halt a counter-attack and immediately turn a defensive situation into an attacking move.

His Premier League experience is another important advantage. Baleba spent three seasons in English football after arriving from Lille, which should make his adjustment to life at Manchester United considerably easier.

That experience may also give him an advantage over Santos, who is also 22. The pair could compete for a place in front of the defence, but they may also be deployed together against stronger opponents when United require additional energy and protection in central areas.

Another possible option on the left

Baleba’s versatility gives Carrick several tactical alternatives. The midfielder has operated predominantly in a defensive role, but he can play further forward and has also been used at left-back.

That flexibility could prove useful whenever Luke Shaw is unavailable. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui can both move across to the left side of the defence, although each is naturally right-footed. As a left-footed player, Baleba would offer a different balance during the build-up phase.

The size of the transfer fee illustrates United’s faith in his potential. Paul Pogba remains the only midfielder for whom the club have paid more than the potential £70 million cost of the Baleba deal.

The financial commitment and the player’s age suggest United regard him as a central figure for both the present and the coming seasons.

A ball-winner who can drive the team forward

Baleba’s principal qualities are his ability to recover possession, cover ground and advance with the ball at his feet. He is not primarily defined by creativity or assists, but his influence can be considerable during transitions.

His statistics from the 2024-25 season help explain Manchester United’s interest. Baleba ranked fourth among Premier League midfielders for possessions won in the middle third, recording 107, and also placed fourth for interceptions with 46.

He finished fifth for total ball recoveries with 197 and seventh for duels won with 199. Those numbers placed him among the league’s most active defensive midfielders.

His contribution was not limited to his work without the ball. Baleba averaged 6.7 progressive carries per 90 minutes, with only three eligible Premier League defensive midfielders recording a higher figure. An average of 2.9 of those carries covered at least ten metres.

His speed enables him to recover ground defensively and move beyond opponents once he has gained possession. During the 2024-25 campaign, he reached a top speed of 34.5 kilometres per hour, four kilometres per hour faster than Casemiro’s recorded maximum. Baleba also averaged 8.2 defensive actions per 90 minutes.

How Baleba could fit into United’s midfield

Baleba is not necessarily the midfielder Carrick will ask to dictate the tempo or control every stage of United’s build-up play.

Only 11.8 per cent of his passes during the 2024-25 season broke through the opposition’s lines of pressure. His forward-pass percentage stood at 22.7 per cent, below the average recorded by central and defensive midfielders.

Those figures do not diminish his value. Instead, they demonstrate how his strengths can complement the qualities of United’s other midfielders.

Tielemans could assume greater responsibility for progressing the ball through his distribution, allowing Baleba to concentrate on shielding the defence, recovering possession and carrying the ball through central areas.

In a partnership with Kobbie Mainoo, Baleba could cover more ground and take on most of the ball-winning responsibilities. If paired with Santos, the Cameroon international could be given greater freedom to move between the two penalty areas and become more involved in attacks.

His positioning last season also highlighted his tactical flexibility. Baleba played 88 per cent of his minutes as a defensive midfielder and the remaining 12 per cent in a central midfield role.

He can protect the area in front of the defence but is also capable of moving forward whenever the profile of his midfield partner allows him to do so.

Well suited to Michael Carrick’s system

Manchester United most commonly defended in a 4-2-2-2 formation last season. That shape accounted for 55.9 per cent of the team’s defensive structures when they were out of possession.

In such a system, the two central midfielders must cover large areas, close passing lanes and stop counter-attacks before they can develop. Baleba’s mobility and speed could make him an important component of Carrick’s defensive structure.

The Cameroon international is comfortable in open matches featuring plenty of space and frequent changes of possession. United, however, are attempting to control games for longer periods and advance through short passing combinations in central areas.

Baleba will therefore need to adapt to taking on greater responsibility during the build-up phase.

His left foot and mobility could make him a suitable partner for Tielemans or Bruno Fernandes. At 22, the former Brighton player still has plenty of time to refine his passing and improve his decision-making in possession.

At his best, Baleba combines defensive aggression, acceleration and ball-carrying ability. He can regain possession inside his own half and help launch a dangerous attack at the opposite end within seconds.

That combination of attributes persuaded Manchester United to invest up to £70 million in securing his services.

Who is Carlos Baleba?

Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba was born in Douala, Cameroon, on 3 January 2004. He quickly emerged as one of the most promising defensive midfielders in European football.

The Cameroon international developed at Futur Soccer FC and EF Brasseries du Cameroun before moving to Europe in 2022, when he joined French club Lille.

Baleba initially represented Lille’s reserve side before establishing himself in the first team. His performances during the 2022-23 season attracted the attention of several major European clubs.

Brighton brought him to England in the summer of 2023. He spent three seasons with the Seagulls and made more than 100 appearances in all competitions.

In August 2026, Baleba took the most significant step of his career by signing a long-term contract with Manchester United.