Manchester United transfer 'confirmed' after medical as Michael Carrick gets major boost | OneFootball

Red Devils have much work to do after shock loss at Hull on opening day

Man Utd agreed a deal with Brighton on Friday night for the Cameroon midfielder worth an initial £65million up front, plus a further £5m in add-ons. Brighton are also understood to retain a sell-on clause.

Baleba is said to have undergone a medical on Saturday, with transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reporting on Sunday morning that all relevant documents have now been exchanged and signed between the two clubs.

He added that the deal was now “100 per cent confirmed”, with an official announcement to follow soon as Baleba puts pen to paper on a five-year contract that will run until the summer of 2031.

It will be a little while before United fans get to see Baleba in action, however, with the player currently nursing an ankle ligament injury sustained during Brighton’s pre-season friendly win over Strasbourg earlier this month.

The issue was expected to keep him out for the first few weeks of the season, meaning he would not have played in the Seagulls’ Premier League opener at home to Aston Villa on Sunday regardless of the deal with United.

The same is also true of Liverpool transfer target Yankuba Minteh, who underwent surgery on his right leg after an injury sustained playing for Brighton against Roma and might not be fit until October or potentially even November.

New arrival: Manchester United are signing Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a £70m transfer

London Standard

It remains to be seen exactly when Baleba will be ready to make his debut under Michael Carrick, with suggestions that it could be around mid-September.

After upcoming games against Ipswich and Everton, United - who fell to a shock 2-0 loss at newly-promoted Hull on opening day - host Manchester City in the first derby of the season at Old Trafford on September 13, before then travelling to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on September 20.

An extended three-week international break follows that, before they resume top-flight action at home to Tottenham on October 10.

Baleba will be the third new midfielder signed by United this summer, following the £50m addition of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and £35m deal with Aston Villa for Youri Tielemans - both of whom started against Hull on Saturday.

Additions in the middle of the pitch have been necessary after Casemiro left at the end of his contract in July, while Manuel Ugarte - who may also have departed - faces months on the sidelines after surgery on a serious knee injury suffered at the World Cup with Uruguay.

Baleba will be the club’s fourth first-team arrival of the window overall, with Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow having also joined on a free transfer following his exit from Leeds.

He is a long-term target for United, who initially wanted to sign Bryan Mbeumo’s international team-mate last summer but were said to have been quoted a much larger fee in excess of £100m.