Man United are closing in on a £60m-plus deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba as Michael Carrick looks to strengthen the squad

Manchester United are closing in on a £60m-plus deal for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with Manchester, England, the club continuing negotiations on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, as manager Michael Carrick seeks to strengthen his midfield before the new Premier League season.

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United have submitted an initial offer worth £60m for the 22-year-old Cameroon international, according to BBC Sport, although Brighton value Baleba higher and talks remain ongoing.

The renewed approach represents a significant change from last summer, when Brighton placed a valuation of more than £100m on the midfielder and United decided against meeting the asking price.

United returned to the player after their pursuit of Matheus Fernandes failed earlier in the summer. Baleba has remained an attractive option because of his physical strength, defensive ability and capacity to carry the ball through midfield.

The proposed deal would take United’s summer spending on midfielders to a substantial level. Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea for £48m, while Youri Tielemans joined from Aston Villa for £35m in July.

Carrick is nevertheless keen to add further depth and energy to his midfield, particularly with Mason Mount currently dealing with a foot problem sustained against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on August 8.

Baleba is also unavailable at present. The Brighton midfielder is expected to spend another two to three weeks recovering from an ankle injury suffered during the club’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

Despite the injury, Baleba remains central to the transfer negotiations. The midfielder made 35 appearances for Brighton last season, including 31 Premier League starts, while receiving seven yellow cards.

His involvement was, however, lower than during the previous campaign. Baleba made 23 Premier League starts and eight substitute appearances in 2025/26, compared with 31 starts and three substitute appearances in 2024/25.

That decline has contributed to Brighton’s reduced valuation, making a potential deal considerably more realistic than it was 12 months ago.

Baleba’s reported willingness to move to Old Trafford has further encouraged United, although Brighton have yet to agree to the initial £60m proposal.

The midfielder’s profile also fits a specific need in Carrick’s squad.

Santos and Tielemans provide additional options, but Baleba offers the powerful ball-winning and box-to-box qualities United have been seeking.

Brighton are preparing for their UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Tromso in Norway on Thursday, with Fabian Hurzeler’s squad scheduled to travel on Wednesday.

Baleba’s future, meanwhile, is likely to remain a major talking point as the transfer deadline approaches.

Also read: Arsenal Prepare Final Alvarez Bid Before Transfer Deadline

United will now hope negotiations can bridge the gap between their opening offer and Brighton’s expectations, with the club eager to secure a midfielder they first attempted to sign a year ago.