Manchester United complete Carlos Baleba signing from Brighton
By Simon Peach, Press Association Chief Football Writer
Manchester United have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba in a deal worth up to £70 million (€81 million).
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.
“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.”
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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.”
Baleba’s arrival has been welcomed positively by many connected to United, including the club’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.
“It will be interesting with Tielemans, Santos and (Kobbie) Mainoo but this is what it should be. Competition for places. If you don’t play well, you don’t play.”
