Manchester United are yet to confirm the arrival of Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion. The Red Devils have addressed the need to reinforce their midfield this summer, which has been weakened by Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s ACL injury.
The English giants have already secured the services of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to strengthen their midfield. However, United still need more steel in the middle of the park and recent reports suggest that they have zeroed in on Baleba for this purpose.
The move has received the famous ‘Here We Go’ from acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. As the 2-0 defeat to Hull City highlighted, the Red Devils could greatly benefit from the presence of the Cameroonian in the middle of the park.
Casemiro’s ideal replacement?
Brighton were looking for a replacement for Moises Caicedo when Baleba caught their eye. The Cameroonian was playing for Lille and arrived at the Amex in the summer of 2023.
He took a year to find his feet and adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League before exploding in the 2024/25 campaign. Such was his impact that United reportedly came calling last summer, only to balk at the Seagulls’ exorbitant asking price.
Brighton reportedly wanted more than the £115 million Chelsea paid for Caicedo, prompting INEOS to shelve their plans. Baleba endured a dip in form last season, but that has not deterred the Red Devils, who have reportedly secured his signature for £70 million this year.
Carlos Baleba Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 31 | 23 | - | - | 5 | - | 1,662' |
| EFL Cup | 3 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 167' |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 62' |
| Total: | 35 | 26 | - | - | 7 | - | 1,891' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
A move is expected to materialise this week, although fans could be wary after the Ederson fiasco. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has now broken his silence on the saga.
Hurzeler coy about Baleba situation
After the win over Aston Villa on Sunday, Hurzeler was asked if there was any update on Baleba. He responded (via Manchester Evening News): “No, I can’t tell you anything because we have to wait on how it develops in the next few hours.”
“Overall, we have to understand that it’s part of our identity, and that it’s part of the journey the club is on. Therefore, I’m not here to complain. We all find solutions together, we need to stick together, and we need to face different adversities.”
Meanwhile, speaking on talkSPORT, former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino insisted that Baleba is the perfect fit for United. He said: “He can get around the pitch, high tempo, pressing, closing down, whatever way you want to look at it.”
“I played against numerous Manchester United teams. They didn’t let you breathe. You went to Old Trafford, you had a tin hat on, and that was basically so you wouldn’t get battered, because Manchester United were not only great technically; they also had a great mentality and could fight.”
“This team yesterday (against Hull) didn’t look like they had any fight in them because that’s what the whole city was about, and that’s why they got beaten.”
Final Thoughts
If the defeat to Hull City showed anything, it is that United desperately need Baleba in the team. However, the Cameroonian is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and may not make his debut until October.
Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
