Carlos Baleba is on course to make his Manchester United debut against Tottenham Hotspur in October, manager Michael Carrick has confirmed.
The 21-year-old midfielder joined Manchester United from Brighton for an initial £65m this summer, but an ankle injury picked in the pre-season has kept him sidelined. Carrick used his press conference to outline Baleba’s recovery timeline, pointing to the international break as the moment he expects the midfielder back involved.
Carlos Baleba Manchester United Debut Target Set for October
Michael Carrick was asked directly whether Baleba would be in contention once the international break ends. “Yeah, [he] definitely will be,” he said. The comments give United supporters the clearest signal yet on when the club’s big summer addition will finally get his first taste of first-team football.
Carrick has been careful not to rush the process, stressing that Baleba needs to build up his training load before he is considered for selection. The manager’s approach reflects a wider pattern in his early messaging, which our roundup of Michael Carrick’s recent match reactions has tracked since he took charge.
Michael Carrick Confirms Baleba Recovery and Brighton Absence
Carrick added detail on the recovery schedule, telling reporters, in comments relayed by The Independent: “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 made clear Baleba will not feature in Sunday’s Premier League match against Fulham. The manager also described the midfielder’s frustration at being sidelined so soon after his transfer.
“Carlos came being injured and then he’s desperate to get out there and be part of the group and training fully with the boys. He’s a quality player, that’s why we brought him, and he balances off the dynamics of the midfield particularly well,” Carrick said.
Squad Fitness Updates on Amad, De Ligt and Luke Shaw
Carrick also gave updates on three other absentees. Amad Diallo remains some way off a return, with the manager saying: “Amad’s not quite close in terms of days, but we’ll see as the week progresses.”
Matthijs de Ligt, who has been out with a back injury since November, is also continuing his recovery without a firm timeline. “And Matta’s just working his way back, really, so because of the time frame and how it’s been, I don’t really want to put too much time frame on it,” Carrick explained.
Luke Shaw’s situation is more encouraging, though still uncertain. The defender has missed United’s last two games, but Carrick left the door open for the Brighton tie: “He could possibly be fit for Brighton, but it’s not clear-cut. But it’s a matter of a few days rather than anything else.”
The left-back didn’t feature eventually in that game as well.
Patrick Dorgu has deputised at left-back in Shaw’s absence, and Carrick praised his contribution. “Pat played fantastically well [against Sabah] the other night, and I thought he did a lot of good things [against Manchester City]. That’s why we’ve got the squad, to fill in different things. Injuries aren’t ideal, but we’ve got to deal with them,” the manager said.
Upcoming Fixtures and Baleba’s Return Timeline
United face a demanding week without several key names. Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash brought Baleba face to face with his old club, albeit from the sidelines, before Fulham visit on Sunday in the league. Both fixtures will be played without Baleba, Amad and, most likely, de Ligt.
The international break that follows is the period Carrick has identified as pivotal for Baleba’s rehabilitation. The Tottenham fixture in October is pencilled in as his likely first appearance in a United shirt. Shaw’s fitness will be reassessed day by day, while De Ligt and Amad have no confirmed return date.
For wider context on how United have coped with this early-season injury list under the new manager, see our analysis of Manchester United under Michael Carrick.
