Carlos Baleba Bids Farewell to Brighton as £70m Old Trafford Dream Begins
In football, departures are part of the ecosystem, but every so often, a goodbye lands with the emotional weight of a gut punch. The news surrounding Carlos Baleba’s completed £70 million move to Manchester United—coupled with his deeply raw farewell to Brighton & Hove Albion—has sent shockwaves through the footballing world, marking one of the most poignant emotional turns of the transfer window.
Emotional welfare message
It is so hard to find the right words when your heart is split in two.
When I arrived at Brighton in 2023, I was just a young boy with a big dream, stepping into a new country, a new league, and a new life. From my very first step onto the pitch at the Amex, you embraced me not as a stranger, but as family. You made Brighton feel like home when I was thousands of miles away from mine.
Every single time I pulled on the blue and white shirt, I gave everything I had. Every tackle, every sprint, every victory was for you. We shared unforgettable nights, fought through the hardest battles, and built memories that I will carry in my soul for the rest of my life. You sang my name, you lifted me up when I was down, and you pushed me to become the player and the man I am today.
Leaving is the hardest decision I have ever had to make. Football takes us on different paths, but no matter where my journey leads, a huge piece of my heart remains here on the South Coast. To the staff who guided me every day, to my teammates who became my brothers, and most of all, to you, the fans—thank you for your unconditional love.
This isn’t a goodbye, because Brighton will always be a part of who I am.
Once a Seagull, always a Seagull.
With all my love and endless respect,
