Baleba has been linked with United since August 2025 when journalist David Ornstein revealed that the Red Devils had contacted Brighton through intermediaries to explore the conditions of a deal as they sought to steal the 22-year-old away from the Seagulls.
United have spent a combined £85m this summer bringing in Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea but manager Michael Carrick is still keen to add to his midfield following the departure of Casemiro.
Baleba, who has clocked up 92 top-flight games for Brighton, has also been linked with Premier League rivals Newcastle United this week, triggering United to pounce once more as they speed up a deal.
As per The Atheltic, United have made an offer of around £60M plus £5M for the Cameroon international and talks continue with all parties working towards finding an agreement as both clubs hope to come to a solution.
Since joining from Lille for £23.2m in August 2022, Baleba has racked up 112 appearances for Brighton and has become well known for his coverage on the pitch due to his immense stamina, meaning he could step in and fill the gap left by Casemiro.
Baleba gives United legs and with Carrick’s side entering multiple competitions next season including the Champions League, there is no surprise a deal is being pushed forward once again.