Man Utd agree £70m fee for Brighton's Baleba

Manchester United have reached an agreement for a £70m fee to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. The 22-year-old Cameroon international, who joined Brighton from Lille in 2023, is set to complete his medical with United over the weekend. The deal includes an initial £65m transfer fee with potential add-ons of £5m. Brighton will negotiate a sell-on clause for the potential future sale of the player.

The move follows United's strengthening of their midfield with the signings of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Baleba is currently sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during Brighton's pre-season training camp in Austria. This deal represents a significant saving for United, bringing their total summer spending up to £153m.

It remains unclear whether United will also pursue a left-back to challenge Luke Shaw, but Baleba's versatility could provide the necessary cover for head coach Michael Carrick. The transfer ends United's efforts to bolster their midfield following the departure of veteran Brazilian Casemiro, who left after his contract expired.

Manuel Ugarte, another target, was injured while representing Uruguay at the World Cup. United will welcome other arrivals, including Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and England international Kobbie Mainoo, for their upcoming Premier League match against Hull City.