Manchester United's midfield rebuild edges closer to completion this weekend, with Carlos Baleba due for his medical today having agreed to leave Brighton in a deal that could rise to £70million.
The Cameroon international's move to Old Trafford was struck late on Friday evening, with the fee set at £65million plus add-ons and a sell-on clause included for Brighton's benefit.
Baleba, 22, is currently working his way back from an ankle ligament injury sustained in pre-season, and is expected to be fully fit towards the end of next month, meaning he could arrive as a long-term addition rather than an immediate first-team option.
The transfer marks a dramatic climbdown in Brighton's valuation of the midfielder, who was quoted at more than £100million as recently as last summer before United walked away from a move. An underwhelming 2025-26 campaign, hampered by the ongoing speculation, appears to have softened the Seagulls' resolve, and the two Premier League clubs have now reached full agreement.
Baleba becomes the third midfielder to arrive at Old Trafford this summer, following the additions of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, as Manchester United continue to overhaul an engine room stripped by the departures of Casemiro and injuries elsewhere in the squad.
With Manuel Ugarte also sidelined, reinforcing central midfield has been a clear priority throughout the window.
He will link up with a Brighton contingent already well represented among this summer's Premier League departures, following Jan Paul van Hecke's move to Tottenham Hotspur, Danny Welbeck's switch to Chelsea and Diego Coppola's exit to Paris FC.
United had first tried to sign Baleba a year ago, only to be quoted a fee in excess of £100million by a Brighton hierarchy determined to keep hold of one of their most prized assets.
That stance has since shifted, with sources suggesting the Seagulls' willingness to negotiate down reflects both the finances on offer and a recognition that Baleba's stock had cooled slightly amid a stop-start season hampered by transfer noise.
Once signed, Baleba is expected to put pen to paper on a five-year contract, giving United a long-term base in central midfield as they prepare for a return to the Champions League this season.