Manchester United have completed the signing of Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a deal worth up to £70m.
United will pay £65m up front for the 22-year-old, with another £5m available through add-ons. Brighton have also secured a sell-on clause as part of the agreement.
Baleba has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with United holding an option to extend his stay by a further season.
The move continues a major overhaul of United’s midfield following the summer arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. The club renewed its pursuit of Baleba after failing to agree a deal last year, when Brighton valued him at more than £100m.
His arrival comes shortly after United opened their Premier League campaign with a surprise 2-0 defeat against Hull City. Santos and Tielemans both made their competitive midfield debuts in that match.
Baleba joined Brighton from Lille in 2023 and went on to make 112 appearances for the Seagulls, scoring four goals. He featured 31 times in the Premier League last season as Brighton finished eighth and secured qualification for the Conference League.
The midfielder is currently recovering from an ankle injury sustained during Brighton’s pre-season training camp in Austria, meaning United may have to wait before handing him his debut.
Baleba leaves Brighton after three seasons in which he developed into one of the club’s most highly rated young players. In his farewell message, he thanked supporters for backing him during difficult moments and said he would continue following the club’s results.
United’s summer spending has now reached £153m as the club strengthens Michael Carrick’s squad ahead of its return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2023-24 season.
Captain Bruno Fernandes described Baleba as a player with qualities that can add a new dimension to United’s midfield. He also stressed that the 22-year-old will be given time to settle and develop as he adapts to life at Old Trafford.