Manchester United are nearing an agreement with Brighton for midfielder Carlos Baleba, according to the Athletic.
United have tabled an offer of around £60 million plus £5 million in add-ons, a package understood to sit below what Brighton would want to sanction a sale.
Talks between the two clubs remain amicable, with all parties working towards an agreement for the 22-year-old Cameroon international.
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Baleba is currently working his way back from an ankle ligament injury, though it isn’t considered serious or expected to keep him out for long.
Midfield has been a clear priority for United this summer. Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have already arrived from Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively, while a deal for Atalanta’s Ederson collapsed after United pulled out over concerns about the Brazilian’s knee.
United had also been keen on Elliot Anderson before he opted to join rivals Manchester City instead.
Should the Baleba deal go through, he would add to a midfield already featuring Tielemans, Santos, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes under head coach Michael Carrick.
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The move comes with United short of options in that area, with Manuel Ugarte still sidelined by the knee injury he suffered at the World Cup with Uruguay, and Mason Mount missing the final two games of pre-season.
Baleba joined Brighton from Lille in the summer of 2023 and has made 112 appearances for the club, including 35 last season, several of which he missed while on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon.
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