Manchester United sign Brighton's Carlos Baleba in £70m deal to complete Carrick's midfield overhaul
Baleba becomes the third Premier League player to bolster the Red Devils’ midfield, signing a five-year-deal with the option to extend for a further 12 months
Manchester United have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in a deal worth up to £70million.
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After securing a Champions League return with last season’s third-place finish, there has been a focus on bolstering Michael Carrick’s midfield heading into the new Premier League campaign.
United saw influential Casemiro depart and Manuel Ugarte sustain a serious knee injury during a summer in which Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arrived from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively.
Baleba becomes the third Premier League player to bolster the Red Devils’ midfield, signing a five-year-deal with the option to extend for a further 12 months after agreeing a £65m deal plus £5m in add-ons and a sell-on with Brighton.
“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams. Playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour,” the Cameroon international said.
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“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.”
United made a move to bring in Baleba last summer but cooled their pursuit when Brighton made it abundantly clear he was not leaving.
The 22-year-old was not at his best last season but that did not put off the Old Trafford outfit, with the club stepping up their interest a week ago.
United director of football Jason Wilcox said: “Carlos is an elite midfielder with immense potential to develop further. He brings a unique combination of qualities that will really complement our squad.
“We are delighted to further strengthen our midfield with the addition of another established senior international with a proven track record of performing in the Premier League.
“Carlos’ determination to join Manchester United and his confidence that we will achieve our shared ambitions mean that he is the perfect signing as we continue to build a dynamic and entertaining team ready to compete across multiple competitions.”
Brighton sporting director Mike Cave said: “Carlos has made a significant contribution during his time with us and we’ve seen him develop both as a player and person here.
“This is a move that Carlos was keen to make and we respect that he wants to take this opportunity at this stage of his career.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes is looking forward to linking up with Baleba.
The Portuguese said: “He’s a very energetic player, strong physically, someone who can push us up the pitch, driving the ball.
"He’s someone very young and exciting, and I think the club has been following him for two years. It is a very good moment for the club and I think the fans will love him.”
Baleba’s arrival has also been welcomed positively by United’s all-time top goalscorer Wayne Rooney.
“I really like him (Baleba), I think he’s a really good signing,” the former England captain told the ‘Stick to United with Wayne Rooney’ podcast on Disney+.
“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."