Manchester United have submitted a £65 million offer for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba as they attempt to complete another major midfield signing before the transfer window closes.
The proposal is understood to consist of £60 million upfront with a further £5 million available through performance-related add-ons.
Brighton have not yet formally accepted the offer, but negotiations between the clubs are continuing. Reports suggest United are increasingly confident that an agreement can be reached for the 22-year-old Cameroon international.
Baleba is believed to have agreed personal terms in principle, with a five-year contract prepared should the two clubs settle on the final fee and payment structure.
Brighton’s valuation has shifted
Albion had previously placed a valuation approaching £100 million on Baleba and insisted earlier this year that they had no intention of selling him.
However, the midfielder endured a less consistent campaign last season and is currently recovering from an ankle ligament injury. He is expected to remain unavailable for another two to three weeks.
Those factors appear to have opened the possibility of a deal at a lower price, although Brighton will still expect to make a substantial profit on a player they signed from Lille for approximately £23 million in August 2023.
Baleba signed a five-year contract when he arrived at the Amex, placing Brighton in a strong negotiating position. He has since developed into one of the Premier League’s most powerful young midfielders, combining ball-winning ability with athleticism and progressive carrying.
United rebuild their midfield
United see Baleba as a natural defensive midfielder capable of succeeding Casemiro and providing greater energy at the base of Michael Carrick’s midfield.
The Manchester club have already signed Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million and Andrey Santos from Chelsea for approximately £48 million this summer.
Adding Baleba would take United’s spending on midfielders to almost £150 million and give Carrick a younger, more mobile group built around Tielemans, Santos, Baleba and Kobbie Mainoo.
For Brighton, the decision is familiar but difficult. The club’s recruitment model depends on developing young talent and selling at significant profits. Yet Baleba remains capable of becoming considerably more valuable.
Albion must now decide whether £65 million represents another exceptional return—or whether United must move closer to Brighton’s valuation.
Talks are continuing, but no transfer should be treated as complete until the clubs announce an agreement and Baleba has passed his medical.
