Carlos Baleba reveals the text message Paul Pogba sent him after joining Man Utd and it speaks volumes

Paul Pogba was the first person to message Carlos Baleba after his transfer from Manchester United was made official.

Baleba, who has previously described former United midfielder Pogba as his 'main idol' growing up, joined the Reds from Brighton in August in a deal worth £65 million plus £5 million in add-ons.

The 22-year-old Cameroon international was heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford in the summer of 2025, but United decided against a move after Brighton valued the player at £115 million.

For his high standards, Baleba endured a poor campaign across 2025-26, which may well have played to United's advantage as they paid a significantly lower fee than the one they were quoted one year ago.

READ MORE: What happened to the 20 highest-rated wonderkids on Football Manager 2012

Baleba is expected to make his long-awaited debut for United on Saturday afternoon, when they take on Tottenham.

Speaking ahead of kick-off, the midfielder was asked who messaged him first after his move was made official, and his response may well come as a surprise to some onlookers.

“It was Paul Pogba," Baleba said. "He said Manchester is a big club, a great city and he really enjoyed it here.”

In his first interview as a United player, Baleba explained why head coach Michael Carrick played a significant role in his decision to join after months of speculation.

"It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams," he told the club's website. "I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick. His experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me to reach the highest level.

"The ambition of everyone at the club is extremely clear, the future is hugely exciting, and I am determined to play my part in delivering the success that we are capable of together."

READ MORE: Leny Yoro's game is already evolving under Zinedine Zidane as training ground footage goes viral

In the same week, United's director of football Jason Wilcox gave an insight into Baleba's ambition to play for the club he supported growing up.

"Carlos’ determination to join Manchester United and his confidence that we will achieve our shared ambitions mean that he is the perfect signing as we continue to build a dynamic and entertaining team ready to compete across multiple competitions," said Wilcox.

Topics: Man Utd, Premier League, Transfer News, Paul Pogba

Jack Kenmare is a Senior Journalist at SPORTbible, covering a range of different sports, including football, darts and athletics. In his role at SPORTbible, Jack specialises in long-form feature writing, with some of his previous interviews featuring some of the biggest and most relevant names in sport. He graduated with a BA Hons (2:1) in Journalism and News Practice from Teesside University. He joined SPORTbible in 2015 to cover news and trending stories.

Andoni Iraola is planning the next big move of his Liverpool tenure.

Arsenal fans believe this player should be axed from the starting lineup after struggling against Leeds United.

Unai Emery highlighted this as a "serious" problem ahead of Aston Villa's clash with Brentford.

The Premier League champions are already making moves for next year.