MANCHESTER: Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, a source close to the Old Trafford club told Reuters on Wednesday.
British media reported that United would pay an initial fee of 65 million pounds, plus up to 5 million pounds in bonuses, with Brighton also acquiring a clause to receive a percentage of the player’s future sales.
Baleba, who will undergo a medical before completing the move, injured an ankle ligament in pre-season, but reports suggest the problem is not expected to affect him long-term.
The 22-year-old Cameroon international will become the third midfielder brought in by United in the summer transfer window after Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
Baleba has made 112 appearances since joining Brighton from Lille in 2023 and has long been a target for Michael Carrick’s squad at Old Trafford.
He made 31 league appearances last season, but missed part of Brighton’s campaign while representing Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.
United, who open their Premier League campaign against newly promoted Hull City tonight, are back in action in the Champions League this season.