£70m Midfielder Carlos Baleba Signs Five-Year Manchester United Deal
Manchester United completed the signing of midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion on August 25, 2026. Old Trafford bosses agreed a £70m total package, paying an initial £65m fee alongside £5m in prospective add-ons, while Brighton included a sell-on clause. The deal locks the midfielder down to a five-year contract with an option to extend for a further year.
The 22-year-old midfielder arrives in Manchester after three years playing in English football.
Brighton
clubBaleba built his reputation on the south coast, recording 112 appearances and four goals for Brighton, including 31 Premier League appearances last season.
Baleba stated joining Manchester United is a dream come true and expressed excitement to develop under manager Michael Carrick.
Carlos Baleba
playerMichael Carrick Gets Physical Midfield Cover in Carlos Baleba
The left-footed midfielder brings ground coverage, tackle winning, and ball-carrying capabilities to a Manchester United central unit that struggled during Saturday’s 2-0 defeat against Hull City. An ankle injury sustained during pre-season training in Austria will delay his immediate match debut at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Midfield Rotation and Position Battles
Baleba enters a reshaped central midfield area that already added Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans earlier in the transfer window. His arrival gives Michael Carrick options to play a defensive anchor alongside Tielemans or Kobbie Mainoo, while also providing depth alongside Santos.
Summer Transfer Spend Hits £153m at Old Trafford
The £70m investment makes Baleba the second-most expensive central midfielder in Manchester United history, trailing only Paul Pogba. The transfer pushes United’s total summer transfer expenditure to £153m as the club prepares for Champions League fixtures this season.
Paul Battison – BBC Sport