Manchester United have agreed an initial £65m deal to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, who will undergo a medical this weekend, as manager Michael Carrick continues his overhaul of the club's midfield. The 22-year-old Cameroon international would become United's most expensive signing of the summer, joining Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos as the third midfielder brought in during the transfer window.

Baleba, a defensive No 6, will link up with Tielemans (an initial £35m) and Santos (an initial £48m) to reshape United's midfield spine, taking the club's total summer outlay to £148m before add-ons. United had tried and failed to sign Baleba last year, when Brighton were seeking a fee closer to the £115m they received for Moisés Caicedo from Chelsea in 2023, making this deal seen internally as good value. Carrick has stressed the importance of a strong midfield foundation for consistency and performance.