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

Manchester United have reached an agreement with Brighton for midfielder Carlos Baleba, who is set to undergo a medical with the Old Trafford club this weekend. The 22-year-old Cameroon international was finalized in negotiations on Friday evening, bringing an end to United's pursuit of a left-back after Luke Shaw's departure. United committed to a £65m initial fee with the potential addition of £5m in increments, while Brighton will receive a sell-on clause in the deal.

Baleba, who transferred to Brighton from Lille in 2023, is currently recovering from an ankle injury sustained during pre-season training in Austria. Once the transfer is completed, Manchester United's summer transfer expenditure will total £153m. The move could provide United with additional athleticism and a more versatile midfield, as Baleba can play both left and right as well as center.

United's pursuit of a left-back to challenge Luke Shaw may now be put on hold, or they may find adequate cover from the existing squad of Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, and Michael Carrick.