Manchester United have completed the signing of midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton for more than 80 million euros including performance bonuses.
The 20-year-old former Lille player has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League side. However, his debut for the Red Devils could be delayed until October as he recovers from an ankle injury. According to Sky Sports, Baleba is expected to return from injury in mid-September, just before the upcoming international break.
The move represents a major investment for Manchester United, who are seeking to strengthen their central midfield options. Baleba built his reputation in France with Ligue 1 side Lille before moving to English football with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Major Premier League Transfer Deals
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal worth nearly 100 million euros to sign Brazilian winger Savinho from Manchester City. Savinho previously rose to prominence while on loan at Spanish side Girona in La Liga but struggled to establish himself in the Manchester City first team.
Tottenham confirmed the arrival of the forward, who will wear shirt number 17 for the North London club.
Manchester City are also continuing to reshape their squad with the departure of Nico Gonzalez to Newcastle United. The two clubs began exchanging transfer documents following a verbal agreement reached on Monday. Newcastle sought midfield reinforcements after losing both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes during the current transfer window.
In other Premier League moves, Bournemouth have secured Italian goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio on loan from Juventus, with a purchase option set at slightly over 10 million euros. Di Gregorio had previously been linked with a move to French side Olympique de Marseille as a replacement for Geronimo Rulli.
Meanwhile, French outfit Strasbourg completed the permanent signing of Omari Kellyman from English football on a contract running through 2031.
Ligue 1 Coaching Changes and Transfer Saga
FC Nantes have appointed Grégory Poirier as their new head coach following the dismissal of Michel Der Zakarian. Nantes management parted ways with Der Zakarian after opening their Ligue 2 campaign with three consecutive defeats. According to Ouest-France, Poirier was available as a free agent after leaving Parisian club Red Star.
Nantes, who play their home matches at the Stade de la Beaujoire, have frequently changed managers under owner Waldemar Kita as they look to turn around their early season form.
In Paris, French international winger Bradley Barcola remains sidelined from the Paris Saint-Germain squad amid ongoing transfer talks. Barcola, who previously played for Lyon, has declined to sign a contract extension with PSG and is seeking a move to Liverpool. However, Liverpool have not yet matched the asking price set by the French capital club. PSG manager Luis Enrique declined to address Barcola's future after the player was left out of the matchday squad against Lens.
At Olympique Lyonnais, manager Paulo Fonseca stated that the club intends to keep Belgian winger Malick Fofana. Speaking ahead of Lyon's Champions League play-off second leg on Wednesday, Fonseca reported that Fofana is focused on the team and that the club has rejected transfer offers due to their belief in his high potential.
Lille have strengthened their attack by signing Dilane Bakwa on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest without an option to buy. According to The Telegraph, the former Bordeaux and Strasbourg player selected Lille to play in the Champions League and travelled for a medical examination.
Elsewhere in France, Stade Rennais are considering an offer for former Marseille striker Vitinha, currently looking for a fresh start in Ligue 1 following a disappointing initial spell in the French top flight. Marseille themselves have yet to make any new signings in this transfer window and missed out on Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez due to financial constraints.
Saudi Pro League Bids and European Moves
Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal are closing in on a deal to sign Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal for a fee exceeding 55 million euros. Al-Hilal sought a replacement after losing fellow Brazilian forward Malcom earlier in the transfer window.
Al-Hilal are also pursuing Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins. Aston Villa have rejected multiple bids for the England international, though Watkins was omitted from Villa's season opener against Brighton as transfer interest mounted.
Aston Villa are expected to complete the signing of Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez for at least 45 million euros, beating out interest from Marseille. In Spain, Barcelona have lined up Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic as a backup option, with a medical scheduled and a contract agreed through June 2030.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho confirmed in a press conference that the Spanish giants are unlikely to make any further additions before the transfer deadline, expressing satisfaction with his current squad. In outgoing moves from Paris, PSG full-back Yoram Zague joined Cypriot side Paphos FC on loan until 2027 with a buy option, having previously spent loan spells at Copenhagen and Belgian side Eupen.
Finally, 30-year-old French midfielder Vincent Koziello, previously of OGC Nice and 1. FC Köln, has signed for Catalan outfit Reus FC Reddis in the Segunda RFEF, the fourth tier of Spanish football.
