Can Baleba succeed where Onana and Djemba-Djemba failed? Cameroon star looks to Carrick for hope

Manchester United have officially confirmed the signing of Cameroon international Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion, with the 22-year-old arriving at Old Trafford as one of the Premier League’s most highly rated midfielders.

Baleba has signed a contract until June 2031, with the option of a further year, as Michael Carrick continues to reshape United’s squad ahead of the new campaign.

Baleba joins United after establishing himself as a dominant presence in midfield at Brighton. During the 2024/25 season, he ranked sixth among Premier League midfielders for tackles and interceptions, while also placing fourth for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes.

Last season, the Cameroon international remained one of the league’s standout ball winners, ranking among the top eight per cent of players for defensive actions and the top one per cent for second balls recovered.

Those qualities convinced United’s hierarchy that Baleba could become a key figure in Carrick’s evolving side.

“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams. I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick; his experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me reach the highest level,” Baleba said after the move was announced.

Baleba becomes only the third Cameroonian player to join Manchester United, following Eric Djemba-Djemba and Andre Onana.

Djemba-Djemba arrived in 2003 as a possible successor to Roy Keane but struggled to establish himself, making only a limited impact before leaving the club.

Onana, meanwhile, joined with enormous expectations in 2023 after a €50m transfer, but endured an inconsistent spell before spending the last two seasons on loan at Trabzonspor.

That history means Baleba arrives with pressure on his shoulders, but his profile appears different from those who came before him.

There may, however, be one important reason for optimism.

Carrick himself was once signed to replace Roy Keane and went on to become one of Manchester United’s greatest midfielders, winning multiple Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.

Now as head coach, Carrick could prove the ideal mentor for Baleba, whose blend of defensive intensity, ball recovery and forward carrying mirrors many of the qualities United have long lacked in midfield.

If Baleba can translate his Brighton form to Old Trafford, the Cameroonian may finally become the African midfielder who breaks the club’s difficult recent history and establishes himself as a cornerstone of a new era at Manchester United.