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Carlos Baleba transfer update issued: 'It seems a done deal'
Cameron Smith
- 24 Nov 2025 11:07 CST
- 3 min read
News
Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba has been tipped to join an elite Premier League club “soon” amid significant interest from Manchester United.
The Cameroon international was close to completing a blockbuster move to Old Trafford this summer, but Ruben Amorim’s side were unable to finalise a deal with Brighton and the proposed transfer collapsed.
Current ETV
Carlos Baleba
DM, M (C)
Brighton
Carlos Baleba
DM, M (C)
Brighton
ETV Range
€60.2M - €73.6M
Baleba has endured a tough start to the 2025-26 campaign at the AMEX Stadium, however Man Utd remain eager to complete a deal next year and he is regarded as a top midfield target by the Red Devils hierarchy, alongside fellow Premier League stars Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton.
Brighton are expected to demand a fee in excess of €100 million to sanction a sale in 2026, but Man Utd are still the frontrunners to acquire his signature as they continue to search for midfield reinforcements after failing to replace Christian Eriksen this summer.
Furthermore, despite Brighton’s hefty valuation, former Mali international Cedric Kante believes Baleba is certain to complete a move to a top Premier League club imminently.
Carlos Baleba transfer verdict
“Manchester United have been interested in him for some time now, particularly during the last summer transfer window,” Kante told AfricaFoot. “This doesn't really surprise me, as the club has the financial resources to sign him and offer him a very high salary.
“In my opinion, yes, Baleba will soon sign with a big English club. It seems a done deal. The only question is when: either this winter, even though he will be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon, or during the summer transfer window.”
When asked about Baleba’s potential price tag of over €100m, Kante said: “These are the figures that prevail in modern football. It represents a lot of money, but in England, players are quickly valued if they perform well.
“If Baleba were 26, the amount wouldn't be as high. But he's only 21, which explains the high figure.
“Once he is transferred, whether to Man Utd or elsewhere, he will obviously have to adapt to his new club, but also possibly manage the pressure surrounding the price he cost, even though he is not responsible for it.”
Baleba, whose current contract at Brighton is due to expire in 2028, has made a total of 92 appearances for the Seagulls since his arrival from Lille, while his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €66.9m.
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