Carlos Baleba has taken another step towards making his Manchester United debut after featuring in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lausanne-Sport at Carrington on Friday.
The midfielder, who joined Manchester United from Brighton & Hove Albion during the summer, has been working his way back from an injury he was carrying when he arrived at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick recently revealed that Baleba was “pushing to get back as quickly as possible”, and his appearance against Lausanne suggests he is now getting closer to full match fitness.
The 1-1 draw at Fulham before the international break was the first time Baleba had been included in a United matchday squad. He remained on the bench for the entire game, but that represented an important step after his injury setback.
Baleba steps up return alongside De Ligt
Baleba was joined in the behind-closed-doors game by several first-team players who were not away on international duty, along with a number of United academy prospects.
Matthijs de Ligt also returned to action from the start. The Dutch defender had not featured for United since November 2025, when he played against Crystal Palace under former manager Ruben Amorim.
The fixture also brought former United academy defender Tyler Fredricson back to Carrington after his permanent move to Lausanne, while young midfielder Sekou Kone was involved against his loan club.
United will now turn their attention towards next week’s return to competitive action. Carrick’s side are scheduled to host Tottenham Hotspur, giving Baleba another target as he works towards being ready for his first competitive appearance in a United shirt.
