Manchester United Strike £70m Deal for Carlos Baleba

Manchester United have reached an agreement worth up to £70m with Brighton for midfielder Carlos Baleba, accelerating their summer rebuild in the middle of the pitch.

Negotiations between the clubs finally broke open on Friday evening, clearing the way for the 22-year-old to undergo a medical ahead of his move to Old Trafford. Once the paperwork is complete, the Cameroon international will become the latest piece in a rapidly retooled United midfield.

United will pay an initial £65m, with a further £5m tied to performance-related add-ons.

Brighton have also secured a sell-on clause, protecting their long-term interest in one of their most coveted assets.

The move comes after United had already brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, but the club chose to push again in the market, convinced they still needed extra power and energy in the centre of the pitch.

Now the fee is agreed and the medical under way, attention turns to one question: how quickly can Baleba stamp his authority on the heart of United’s midfield?