Carlos Baleba’s Manchester United Debut Delayed Due to Injury

Carlos Baleba’s Manchester United debut is on ice, with Michael Carrick confirming the £70 million midfielder is likely to be sidelined for around three weeks with an ankle injury.

The 22-year-old completed his move from Brighton on Tuesday, joining fellow summer additions Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in a revamped United midfield. Hype was immediate. Minutes will have to wait.

Carrick revealed the Cameroon international arrived carrying the problem, which rules him out of Sunday’s Premier League home opener against promoted Ipswich and the fixtures that follow.

"He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks," Carrick said. "We'll see but we knew that before, so it's no major issue but it'll be great to have him back when we can."

United director of football Jason Wilcox has already set expectations high, describing Baleba as "an elite midfielder with immense potential to develop further". Supporters eager to see that potential at Old Trafford will have to be patient.

Debut date circled

Baleba’s injury had already kept him out of Brighton’s Conference League games and their Premier League opener. Carrick’s suggested timeline now points towards a tantalising prospect: a first United appearance against his former club.

United face Brighton in the Carabao Cup before travelling to Fulham on September 20, their final outing ahead of hosting Tottenham after the international break on October 10. Somewhere in that run, if recovery goes to plan, Baleba should finally step into a United shirt.

Asked whether Baleba and Amad Diallo might feature before the upcoming three-week international break, Carrick refused to lock in a date.

"It's obviously new, the break to deal with, but we'll wait and see," he said. "We're hopeful but I don't want to put any deadlines on it just yet.

"Amad won't be involved this week. He'll be out for a little bit longer. Mase (Mason Mount) is back around the group, which was great. Trained this week, so that's a big positive for us."

A different kind of midfielder

Behind the frustration of the delay sits clear excitement inside Carrick’s camp about what Baleba can add.

"We're delighted to have Carlos," the United boss said. "I think huge potential, massive potential. I think he's a really exciting signing for us.

"I think the quality that he has, the attributes that he has that offsets a little bit of the balance of the group that we've got. Different strengths, different combinations.

"So, for us to have that, absolutely delighted to have him. I think there's so much more to come from him as well, which with the player that he already is with that little bit more to come is exciting for us."

United’s midfield has been rebuilt with an eye on variety as much as depth. Baleba, with his blend of power and mobility, is expected to bring a different profile to a unit that now includes Santos, Tielemans and a returning Mount.

Response required after nightmare start

All of this unfolds against a jittery backdrop. United’s season began with a jolt as a 2-0 defeat at play-off winners Hull underlined how far Carrick’s side still has to go.

Marcus Rashford was thrown into the fray at half-time in that game after being given extended rest following the World Cup, with Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo also introduced from the bench as Carrick searched for a spark.

Now, with Ipswich arriving at Old Trafford, he needs a reaction.

"We've got a squad to choose from," Carrick said. "We've got a good squad and we could pick a variety kind of combinations within the team.

"We'll pick a team for the weekend but, yeah, certainly the boys are massively in contention."

Baleba will not be among them. But once that ankle settles and the wait ends, the question shifts from when he plays to how quickly he can change the rhythm of United’s season.