Carlos Baleba nears Manchester United debut after ankle injury recovery

Carlos Baleba, Manchester United's £70 million summer signing from Brighton, has returned to training at Carrington after recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained during Brighton's preseason friendly against Strasbourg in early August. The 22-year-old Cameroon midfielder arrived at United already carrying the injury and has yet to feature for the club.

Manager Michael Carrick confirmed that Baleba will not be available for the Carabao Cup third-round match against his former club Brighton on Wednesday, nor for the following Sunday fixture against Fulham. However, Carrick expressed confidence that the midfielder will be integrated into full squad training within the next week and should be in contention after the international break. "He'll be back in and around the group at some point over the next week or so, so that means after the international break, he should be in good shape," Carrick told reporters.

Baleba's most likely debut could come in the Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on 10 October, following the international break. This extended pause, combining FIFA's September and October breaks, will provide approximately three weeks for the midfielder to build full match fitness. Carrick described Baleba as a "quality player" and noted that he "balances off the dynamics of the midfield particularly well," suggesting he will play a key defensive role in United's midfield setup, particularly in matches against stronger opponents.

The midfielder's arrival completes Manchester United's midfield rebuild this summer, following the earlier signings of utility midfielder Andrey Santos and creative passer Youri Tielemans. Baleba was a target for United in 2025 but the club negotiated a more financially acceptable deal this year. He has been excluded from Cameroon's squad for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros and the Republic of the Congo, allowing him to focus on training and building fitness during the international window.