Manchester United Completes £65m Deal for Carlos Baleba

Manchester United have finally got their man. A deal worth an initial £65m has been agreed with Brighton for Carlos Baleba, with the midfielder due in Manchester this weekend for a medical.

If all goes to plan, the 22-year-old will become the third new midfielder through the door in this window under Michael Carrick. United have rebuilt the heart of their side with clear roles in mind: Baleba as the No 6, Youri Tielemans as the No 8, and Andrey Santos, another holding option, offering depth and competition.

The numbers tell their own story. Even before a potential £5m in add-ons, Baleba will be United’s most expensive signing of the summer. Tielemans arrived for £35m. Santos cost an initial £48m, with a possible £2m in extras. Baleba’s fee pushes United’s outlay to £148m and underlines where Carrick believes games are won and lost.

Inside the club, there is quiet satisfaction. United tried and failed to land the Cameroon midfielder last summer, when Brighton were holding out for a figure closer to the £115m they banked from Chelsea for Moisés Caicedo in 2023. That stance killed any serious move then. This time, the price has dropped, and Carrick gets the midfield enforcer he wanted at a cost United view as smart business on and off the pitch.

Michael Carrick's Philosophy

Carrick has been open about why he keeps returning to the same theme: control the middle, control the match.

“I think it gives you the foundation of the team, you know,” he said before the agreement was reached. “I think the foundation of the team is important to be consistent, to be consistent through one game from start to finish, to be consistent over a period of time.

“You need a solid foundation through the middle of the team and trying and putting it together and getting that balance. But certainly, I think if you look at all the top teams over the years, all the great teams over the years, the spine of the team is really strong, you know.

“So we’re conscious of that, and I think we’ve got a good spine of the team right now. We can keep improving as we go in different ways and coaching and helping the boys and developing them, and I think we’re in a good place.”

Now that spine is about to gain another powerful piece.