Man United celebrates as they near signing another "new player" to strengthen the squad following recent positive signals.
On 19 August 2026, David Ornstein, a reputable journalist from The Athletic, a leading British media outlet, reported that Manchester United is close to signing Carlos Baleba, a midfielder from Brighton, fellow competitors in the English Premier League.
David Ornstein stated, "Man United and Brighton are close to reaching an agreement to sign the promising midfielder Carlos Baleba. United has made an offer of around £60 million (70 million euros or 81 million US dollars) plus an additional £5 million in bonuses."
"This offer is still below what Brighton expected for releasing the player. However, the negotiations continue positively, with all parties committed to reaching a mutual agreement."
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported that talks concerning 22-year-old Carlos Baleba have progressed in recent weeks after it became clear that the ankle ligament injury he suffered during a preseason friendly against Strasbourg in early August was not as serious as initially feared.
It is expected that the Cameroon international midfielder will be fully fit by late September and is likely to sign a five-year contract with Man United, keeping him at the club until 2031.
This summer, Man United is revamping their midfield after Casemiro's contract ended and he moved to Inter Miami, while Manuel Ugarte, initially set to be released, suffered a severe knee injury playing for Uruguay in the 2026 World Cup.
Man United plans to invest around £150 million to strengthen their central midfield with three signings. So far, they have acquired two players: Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million and André Santos from Chelsea for £50 million.
