Baleba closing in on United debut as De Ligt nears return and Sesko faces fresh injury concern

Carlos Baleba could make his Manchester United debut against Tottenham next Saturday after the £70 million midfielder was left out of the squad for the Fulham trip but has continued to build his fitness at Carrington. Matthijs de Ligt, meanwhile, is edging back towards first-team involvement after 10 months out with a back injury, while Benjamin Sesko faces an uncertain timeline over a recurring shin problem.

Baleba on the verge

Baleba travelled with the squad to Craven Cottage before the international break, raising expectations of a first appearance, but his debut was ultimately delayed. The 22-year-old has been training at Carrington throughout the break — including sessions when most teammates were on holiday — and picked up minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ineos-owned Lausanne-Sport last Friday. That combination of sustained training work and match minutes means he could be in contention to start against Spurs.

De Ligt’s long road back

De Ligt also made the trip to London on Saturday but was never part of Michael Carrick’s matchday plans at Fulham — it is understood the arrangement was always intended as a fitness exercise rather than a genuine squad inclusion. The 27-year-old has since returned to first-team training and is expected to feature among the substitutes soon, with Champions League fixtures against Atlético Madrid or Como identified as possible return points.

Sesko concern deepens

The more pressing worry surrounds Sesko. The 23-year-old striker has not featured for Slovenia since November 2025 and was again forced to withdraw from the latest international camp. United carried out further tests and scans on his recurring shin injury last week and are working up a treatment plan, though no timeline has been confirmed. The problem has already resurfaced once after a two-month summer rest and a carefully managed return to training and matches, making the latest setback a significant concern.

Kone impressing on loan

The Lausanne-Sport friendly also brought Sekou Kone back to Carrington. The 20-year-old is on loan with the Swiss Super League club for another season and has started six of nine league games, coming off the bench in the other three — a far more productive spell than previous loan stints. United used the occasion to assess him directly, with his performances drawing positive reviews.

Tyler Fredricson, the 21-year-old centre-back who joined permanently this summer, was also back at the training ground after missing time with a metatarsal injury.