Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba.

United attempted to sign the Cameroon international near deadline day last summer but were put off by Brighton’s valuation, which was in excess of £100m.

However, the price has reduced significantly and after failing in their pursuit of Matheus Fernandes earlier this summer, United have decided to revisit Baleba.

Their initial £60m offer is below Brighton’s valuation, but talks are continuing.

The Red Devils have already signed midfielders Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m and Youri Tielemans, who joined from Aston Villa in July for £35m.

Mason Mount did excel alongside Santos in the first three games of pre-season, but he has been struggling to overcome a foot problem he suffered against Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August.

It is not clear when Baleba will be fit to play given he injured an ankle ligament during pre-season. He is expected to be out for another two to three weeks.

Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton squad fly to Norway on Wednesday for Thursday’s Uefa Conference League play-off first-leg match with Tromso.

Baleba made 35 appearances for Brighton last season, picking up seven yellow cards as a defensive midfielder.

Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick says the north London side would consider selling Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly but are “not actively looking” for a move.

The futures of the 19-year-old academy graduates have been the subject of speculation, given there are expected to be departures from the Emirates before the end of the window on September 1.

Garlick said on Wednesday that Arsenal are “very, very happy” with Lewis-Skelly and he thinks Nwaneri has had a “great” preseason but “if the right opportunity came up”, transfers away from north London would not be off the table.

The CEO also said it was “only a matter of time” before Mikel Arteta signs a new contract, which he is “sure … will be resolved very shortly”.

Lewis-Skelly started and played a starring role in the Community Shield win over Manchester City, registering one assist, and The Athletic reported on August 11 he wanted to stay at the Emirates and is not exploring a move. He is likely to be pushed down the midfield pecking order, however, after the £75million ($101m) signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United.

Nwaneri, however, did not make Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad after spending the last half of the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Marseille. The Athletic reported on Tuesday that his situation was delicate, as the league champions accept his pathway could be congested.

“There’s been a lot of speculation around players,” said Garlick, per the BBC. “I can’t stop other clubs being interested. I think Myles (Lewis-Skelly) has had a fantastic end to last season and has started this one really well — we’re very, very happy with him.

“Ethan has had a great pre-season as well, and I think it’s just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those in terms of their career moving forward. We are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players but if the right opportunity came up — right for them and the club — we’d obviously consider that.”

Lewis-Skelly signed a long-term contract with Arsenal last summer and has made 76 senior appearances since breaking into the first team during the 2024-25 season. Nwaneri has played 51 first-team games before moving to Ligue 1 on loan, where he started only three league games.

He has featured as a midfielder in each of Arsenal’s five preseason matches, scoring two goals, but Arteta last week expressed uncertainty over his future given he “needs to play football”.

Meanwhile, Garlick expressed confidence in the head coach’s future — despite his contract having only one year left on it.

“Mikel wants to be at Arsenal, we want Mikel at Arsenal,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time before we put that into a new contract. Everyone is very confident and calm. We’re just navigating a transfer window and I’m sure Mikel’s contract will be resolved very shortly.”

Will this be comforting for Arsenal fans?

Analysis by Arsenal correspondent James McNicholas

Arsenal fans will be reassured to hear Garlick echoing Arteta’s stance on a new contract for the manager — both have said that it’s effectively a matter of finding the time to sort the extension.

They’ll be reassured too that Arsenal are not “actively looking” to sell their academy products.  It’s clear, however, that Arsenal may be open to the possibility if the “right opportunity” arises. That’s largely a consequence of the regulatory environment – the sale of an academy player would be booked as pure profit.

It’s inevitable that players as gifted as Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri will attract interest from elsewhere. With Arsenal now competing at the elite end of the sport, it’s more difficult than ever for academy talent to establish themselves.

In Lewis-Skelly’s case, he is currently making regular contributions to the first team. Nwaneri’s pathway looks more complex, which may make him more likely to depart.

World Cup-winning New Zealand international Ruby Tui has signed for Trailfinders Women.

BBC Sport understands Tui, 34, has agreed a one-year deal with last season’s Premiership Women’s Rugby finalists.

“Ruby is one of the most respected figures in the women’s game,” Trailfinders head coach Barney Maddison told the club’s website, external.

“Her experience of winning at the very highest level, combined with the energy and leadership she brings off the pitch, will be an enormous asset to the squad as we push on from last season.”

As well as being a Rugby World Cup winner in 2021, Tui has Olympic gold and silver medals from the sevens game.

She was also named World Rugby’s women’s sevens player of the year in 2019.

In the 15-a-side game, she was a key part of the New Zealand side that beat England 34-31 in the 2021 World Cup final.

“I feel like I’ve seen a lot of women’s rugby and it’s the biggest and best women’s comp in the world right now,” Tui added.

“The whole Trailfinders team have been so welcoming since I got here and watching them all last season had me fizzed about how they’re playing game.”