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.

West Ham United have signed Joel Piroe from Leeds United on a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy.

The Athletic reported earlier this week that the 27-year-old forward was viewed as a top transfer target by head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and the recruitment team. Piroe, who will wear the No 9 jersey, scored 34 goals across 118 appearances during his three-year spell at Leeds between 2023-26.

He played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League during the 2024-25 season. The Suriname international ended the campaign as the top scorer with 19 goals in 46 appearances.

“It’s a joy to have got everything over the line,” Piroe told West Ham’s website. “I’m delighted to be here and I’m ready to go!

“I see West Ham as a club that really wants to be in the Premier League, and I think should be in the Premier League. With my experience, I think I can help the club a lot to achieve what they want to achieve, and I think it’s a good opportunity for me to show what I’ve learnt and how I’ve grown as a football player over the years.

“Nils (Koppen) and Nuno have both been very clear about what the goals for the club are, both in the short term and in the long term. They talked to me about how they see the team being set up, and it felt like a good match for me. I’m just really looking forward to joining the group, and working with the other guys on the grass.”

Piroe is West Ham’s fourth summer signing following the additions of defender Joel Veltman, winger Manor Solomon and midfielder Arne Engels.

A signing West Ham needed

It was evident during the season opener against Burnley that West Ham needed to augment their forward options. During the 2-2 draw, striker Pablo was substituted at the interval due to sustaining a calf injury. Nuno, though, brought on midfielder James Ward-Prowse as opposed to untested academy forwards Joshua Ajala and Josh Landers.

It may have been a factor behind West Ham acting quickly to sign Piroe before this weekend’s home game against London rivals Charlton Athletic. Piroe’s proven track record in the Championship is a welcome boost for Nuno. He follows in the footsteps of fan favourites Michail Antonio, Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole and Dean Ashton in wearing the No 9 shirt.