Official: Man Utd complete game-changing Carlos Baleba signing

Updated: 25 Aug 2026 17:06 BST | 4 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Manchester United have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, which could prove to be transformative for the club, according to Wayne Rooney.

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The Red Devils finally wrapped up a deal for the Cameroon international last week. Baleba had already been the club's top target last year, but Brighton refused to sell at the time.

Man Utd had agreed personal terms with Baleba, and he was so desperate for the move that it affected his performances, but Brighton's demands of more than €100 million were ultimately deemed excessive.

Current ETV

Carlos Baleba

DM, M (C)

Brighton

Carlos Baleba

DM, M (C)

Brighton

ETV Range

€48.1M - €58.8M

Although the 22-year-old continued to be linked with Man Utd heading into this summer, it wasn't actually clear whether they would revisit the deal. He was coming off a poor season, and a transfer looked to be a complete non-starter when he suffered a pre-season injury.

There were suggestions that Man Utd would step aside and allow another club, potentially Newcastle, to sign Baleba. However, when it became clear that his injury wasn't as serious as first feared, the Old Trafford outfit moved quickly.

Baleba joins Man Utd

Man Utd's second bid was accepted, with the two clubs agreeing a package believed to be in the region of €82m. Baleba has signed a five-year contract with the option for a further season.

This is still a significant outlay for a player who struggled last season, but Man Utd believe that it is nevertheless a good deal when pegged against the other major midfielder transfers of the summer.

On the face of it, Baleba should solve Michael Carrick's biggest issue. As the opening-day loss to Hull exposed, Man Utd don't have anyone who can really cover ground and put out fires in midfield - which is the 22-year-old's speciality.

"It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams," Baleba said after joining. "Playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour.

"I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick; his experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me to reach the highest level.

"The ambition of everyone at the club is extremely clear, the future is hugely exciting, and I am determined to play my part in delivering the success that we are capable of together."

Despite the uncertainty over whether Baleba can rediscover his pre-2025/26 form, Wayne Rooney believes that this is a perfect recruit for Man Utd. "I really like him, I think he’s a really good signing,” the club legend said on Stick to United.

"We need another midfield player with a bit of physicality. And I know he’s not six-foot-four or whatever, but he covers the ground really well, he’s aggressive, he takes the ball and is what we need.

"He’s a very good player who will improve the team massively. It will be interesting with [Youri] Tielemans, [Andrey] Santos and [Kobbie] Mainoo, but this is what it should be - competition for places. If you don’t play well, you don’t play."

"I don’t think he went missing [last season]. The chance doesn’t come around that often to play for Manchester United, so you don’t know what effect that has. There’s no denying his ability as a player. I think he is a top player."