Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba as the transfer deadline approaches. Old Trafford chiefs attempted to recruit the Cameroon international twelve months ago, only to be deterred by a valuation exceeding £100 million. With the deadline looming, United have reignited negotiations to secure the central operator. Head coach Michael Carrick is eager to add Baleba’s distinct physical and tactical profile to an engine room that requires genuine box-to-box reinforcement.
Since arriving in England from Lille in 2023 for an initial £24 million fee, Baleba has amassed 92 appearances over three seasons. He earned widespread recognition for his combative tackling, stamina, and expansive passing range. Fundamentally a defensive midfielder, his game relies on positional discipline rather than pure disruption. He reads developing situations early, screens the back line intelligently, tracks runners diligently, and plugs midfield gaps without compromising team structure. Although United recently added Santos and Tielemans to their central options, Baleba provides a dynamic profile that the current squad lacks.
The move comes after a challenging 2025-26 campaign for the Cameroonian, whose output fell amid persistent transfer speculation and physical setbacks. Baleba recorded 1,652 minutes of action across 31 appearances for Brighton last term, starting 23 games and completing 90 minutes on just three occasions after being substituted at half-time four times. His momentum was further disrupted by the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January, where he represented Cameroon and missed five club matches. More recently, Baleba suffered an ankle ligament injury during a week-long training camp in Austria after limping out of a session 24 hours earlier. While this setback rules him out of the opening stages of the season, it is not expected to be a long-term issue.
Squad logistics and jersey assignments are already taking shape at Old Trafford as negotiations progress. Baleba originally wore the number 35 shirt during his first-team breakthrough at Lille, before adopting number 20 during his formative seasons at Brighton. With the number 20 jersey currently vacant in Manchester, it stands as a clear candidate for the incoming midfielder. Alternatively, Baleba has worn number 24 for his country this year—a shirt officially assigned at Old Trafford to goalkeeper André Onana, who is currently away on loan. Carrick will focus on guiding the midfielder back to full fitness so he can replicate the high-impact form that made him one of the league’s most sought-after prospects.
