Nearly £150m on midfielders in a single summer. Either Manchester United know exactly what they're doing, or this is the most expensive panic buy in Premier League history. We're not entirely sure which — but Carlos Baleba is now a Red Devil, and that's the reality we're working with.
United have confirmed the signing of the Brighton and Cameroon midfielder for an initial £65m, with £5m in add-ons and a sell-on clause thrown in. He's put pen to paper on a five-year deal with an option for a further 12 months. He's 22. He called Old Trafford "the club of my dreams." Standard stuff.
The Numbers Don't Lie — But They Do Raise Questions
Baleba is the third midfielder through the door this summer. Andrey Santos came in from Chelsea. Youri Tielemans arrived from Aston Villa. Now Baleba from Brighton. Total outlay: approximately £148m on midfield alone.
That kind of spend demands a very clear plan. The context helps explain it — Casemiro left, and Manuel Ugarte picked up a serious knee injury — but throwing the best part of £150m at a single position still warrants scrutiny. When United's director of football Jason Wilcox describes Baleba as bringing "a unique combination of qualities that will really complement our squad," you'd hope the specifics go deeper than that in the actual transfer room conversations.
What's interesting is that United tried to sign Baleba last summer and backed off when Brighton made clear he wasn't for sale. He didn't have his best season in 2024-25 either, by all accounts. United stepped up their pursuit again just a week ago. That's not the behaviour of a club that had this meticulously plotted out — that's a club that identified a need and moved quickly when the door opened.
Carrick's Name Carries Weight Here
Baleba's quote about Michael Carrick is the part worth paying attention to. "I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick," he said. "His experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me to reach the highest level."
That's a telling endorsement. If Carrick's reputation is pulling in a 22-year-old who had other options, that matters — because it means the project under him has genuine pull beyond just the badge and the wage packet. Whether Carrick can get the best out of three new midfielders simultaneously is a separate question, but the signs are that the dressing room is at least going to be bought in.
Brighton, meanwhile, have now sold [Danny Welbeck to Chelsea](/getohedz/football/chelsea-sign-danny-welbeck-from-brighton) and lost Baleba for £70m. It's been a busy window at the Amex — and not in a good way for their supporters.
Our Take
Baleba is a genuinely talented young midfielder and United clearly believe in him enough to persist after last summer's knockback. But spending £148m on one position — however necessary the circumstances — is the kind of business that has to pay off on the pitch, not just on paper. If Santos, Tielemans and Baleba click under Carrick, this looks visionary. If they don't, it'll be used as the defining example of United's transfer chaos for years. There's no middle ground at that price.
The dreams are mutual, Carlos. Just make sure they don't turn into nightmares.