Manchester United are closing in on a £65m deal for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba after talks resumed between the two Premier League clubs.
Negotiations for the 22-year-old Cameroon international restarted in recent weeks after medical checks confirmed an ankle ligament injury sustained in early August was less severe than initially feared. Baleba suffered the injury during a pre-season friendly against French club Strasbourg.
The midfielder is expected to return to fitness towards the end of September. He is now poised to sign a five-year contract at Old Trafford that will keep him at Manchester United until 2031.
Manchester United have tracked Baleba for the past year following his impressive and industrious performances for Brighton. The South Coast club previously valued the player at around £75m.
Although his form dropped away during the second half of last season, United executives still see enough potential in the young midfielder to invest. Baleba had also drawn enquiries from Newcastle United in recent weeks before Manchester United advanced negotiations.
Baleba originally joined Brighton from French Ligue 1 side Lille for £23m in 2023. He quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young midfielders in the English top flight, earning praise for his dynamism and ability to break the press. He became a key figure under former manager Roberto De Zerbi before Fabian Hurzeler took charge in 2024.
Brighton valuation and previous transfer saga
Manchester United previously attempted to sign Baleba last summer. However, Brighton stood firm and demanded in excess of £100m for the midfielder, prompting United to walk away from talks.
Speaking in October, Brighton chairman Tony Bloom confirmed the earlier approach from Old Trafford.
"There was interest from Manchester United, and we said that he wasn't available this summer and they went away,"
Bloom said.
"His improvement has been immense. He's a massively important player to this football club, and we're just delighted that he's with us for this season."
Hurzeler noted last season that speculation surrounding a potential move to Manchester United had affected the young player on the pitch.
"I think it's normal for a young player when the media creates the noise around him,"
Hurzeler said.
"It's not easy for this player to handle it."
"Therefore, we need to give him the time and support so he comes back to his best performance,"
the Brighton manager added.
"But he's a young player and I think that's something we have to accept, that young players don't always have the face we want to see."
Manchester United midfield reconstruction
Manchester United set out to rebuild their central midfield options this summer following the departure of influential Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who left Old Trafford to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
Prior to the summer transfer window, 21-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was the only established senior central midfielder in the Manchester United squad.
With plans to invest around £150m in three new central midfielders, United have already completed two major transfer deals. The club signed 29-year-old Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m, and 22-year-old Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m.
Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte will remain at Manchester United despite the club having been prepared to offload him. The midfielder sustained a serious knee injury while playing for Uruguay at the World Cup and is expected to remain at the club until his return at the start of next year.
Alternative targets and academy prospects
Daily Mail Sport reported in May that Manchester United had earmarked around £80m for a marquee midfielder to replace Casemiro. However, their primary target Elliot Anderson signed for rivals Manchester City in a record £116m deal.
United also agreed personal terms with Italian side Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Ederson, but backed out of the transfer due to concerns over his knee.
As transfer negotiations continue, Michael Carrick has emphasized the importance of giving Manchester United's academy products more first-team opportunities. Young midfielders Tyler Fletcher and Toby Collyer have both received significant playing time during pre-season fixtures.
