Brighton have sent their best wishes to Carlos Baleba as he moves to Manchester United after confirming the player was eager to complete the transfer.
The central midfielder has arrived at Old Trafford on a five-year contract.
He has called it his dream move.
United are believed to be laying out £65 million with a possible additional £5 million in performance-related add-ons for Baleba, whose Brighton contract was set to run until 2028.
He remains unavailable due to an ankle injury picked up in Vienna during pre-season preparations.
Brighton sporting director Mike Cave stated that Carlos made a significant impact during his spell at the club and they witnessed considerable growth in him both on and off the pitch.
He explained that when Carlos arrived he was a promising young talent who, through hard work and dedication combined with guidance from coaches and staff, developed into a top-class Premier League midfielder.
He noted this was a move the player was eager to make and the club respected his desire to seize this opportunity at this point in his career.
He thanked him for his efforts during his time at Brighton and wished him success in the next phase of his career.
Baleba described it as an incredible feeling to join the club of his dreams. He noted that playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player would be a real honour. He said he cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick, believing Carrick’s experience and knowledge of the game make him a perfect coach to help him reach the highest level.
The 21-year-old Cameroon international joined Brighton from Lille in summer 2023 and went on to make 112 appearances for the club, finding the net four times.
United had attempted to sign Baleba 12 months earlier but Tony Bloom had no plans to allow him to leave at that time.
Brighton supporters will now be watching for updates on his former teammate Yasin Ayari, who is tied to the club until summer and has become an important figure in the starting lineup.