Manchester United are weighing up a £50 million move for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba. The 22-year-old Cameroon international has been on the club's radar for nearly a year, with personal terms understood to have been 'broadly agreed' during initial discussions.
Manager Ruben Amorim was keen on Baleba last summer, but the club shelved interest after spending over £200 million on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. However, with Casemiro set to leave at the end of the season and Manuel Ugarte failing to convince, United may revive their pursuit.
Brighton are expected to demand around £100 million for Baleba, a fee similar to the one Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023. United were willing to go as high as £75 million in the summer, but now appear reluctant to exceed £50 million, which could complicate negotiations.
Baleba has been substituted off 15 times this season under Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, completing 90 minutes only three times, including in the recent 3-0 win over Chelsea. He also featured five times for Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, helping them reach the quarter-finals.
United are also linked with Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, and Newcastle duo Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. The club may need two or three midfield reinforcements, depending on Ugarte's future amid interest from Juventus and Ajax.
Interim manager Michael Carrick has overseen a rise from seventh to third in the table since taking over, but the club remains undecided on whether he will be appointed permanently. A final decision is expected at the end of the campaign.
