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Manchester United have completed the signing of Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a deal that could reach £70 million, making the 22-year-old Cameroon international their third midfield arrival of the summer after Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. Baleba has agreed a five-year contract with an option for a further 12 months, with United paying an initial £65m plus £5m in add-ons and a sell-on clause. The transfer takes their spending on midfielders this summer to around £148m, following the departures of Casemiro and the serious knee injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte.
The midfielder had been on United’s radar for some time, with the club first exploring a deal last summer before Brighton made it clear they had no intention of selling. Baleba endured a less convincing campaign last season, but that did little to diminish United’s interest, which intensified over the past week as Michael Carrick’s side pushed to get the deal over the line. Baleba has made clear that the opportunity to join United was one he did not want to miss. He is particularly excited about working under Carrick and playing at Old Trafford, while the club’s ambitions also appear to have played a significant role in his decision. The signing gives Carrick another physically imposing option in an area United have been trying to rebuild, with Baleba offering qualities that differ from those of Santos and Tielemans. After years of relying heavily on Casemiro, United now have considerably more variety in midfield.
Manchester United will reportedly have to pay around £43 million if they want to prise Nicolo Tresoldi away from Club Brugge before next week’s transfer deadline. The 22-year-old striker has been closely monitored by United after an impressive first season in Belgium, and Brugge have now made their valuation clear. According to Bulinews, the Belgian champions have set their asking price at approximately £43m, reflecting both Tresoldi’s importance to the team and their belief that he has significant room for further development. United’s willingness to meet that figure remains uncertain. While the club continue to assess their options in attack, strengthening at left-back and potentially adding further depth in midfield are also considered priorities.
Brugge have already demonstrated their reluctance to negotiate cheaply, having rejected a reported £29.9m offer from Roma. United would therefore need to make a significant commitment to convince the Belgian side to reconsider their position. There is also competition for Tresoldi’s signature, with Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Barcelona among the clubs reportedly interested in the Germany Under-21 international. His rapid adaptation to Belgian football has only increased his appeal. Tresoldi joined Brugge from Hannover 96 last summer and enjoyed an impressive breakthrough campaign, scoring 13 goals in 30 appearances as the club won the league title. He has continued that form at the beginning of the new season, strengthening the impression that Brugge may have another valuable asset on their hands.
For United, the question is whether Tresoldi represents the right use of a sizeable portion of the remaining transfer budget. With Baleba now secured, the club have addressed another major midfield need, but a £43m investment in a developing striker would leave little room for manoeuvre elsewhere.
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