Cameroon’s Baleba joins Manchester United
Carlos Baleba has completed his move to Manchester United from Brighton in a deal worth £70m to become the fourth Cameroonian player to join the Red Devils.
Baleba ended his three-year sojourn at Brighton to team up with Manchester United, signing a five year-contract at Old Trafford, with the option to extend for a further year.
He becomes the fourth player from Cameroon to sign for Manchester United following in the footsteps of Eric Djemba-Djemba, Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo.
The Red Devils announced his signing with a statement on their website on Tuesday.
The statement read: “Manchester United is pleased to confirm that Carlos Baleba has joined the club, subject to registration.
“The Cameroon international has signed a contract until June 2031, with the option to extend for a further year.”
Similarly, Baleba described his move to Manchester United as an honour while looking forward to playing under Michael Carrick.
Read Also: Falcons’ Demehin signs for Benfica after Galatasaray departure
He said: “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.
“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.”
Baleba is a defensive midfielder, and he becomes Manchester United’s third midfield signing of the summer after the arrival of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
During the 2024/25 season, his combined number of tackles and interceptions was the sixth-highest among midfielders in the league, while he also ranked fourth-highest for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes.
Last season, Baleba played 31 games in the Premier League, ranking in the top eight per cent of players for combined tackles and interceptions as well as the top one per cent for second balls won.
