Carrick expects £70m Baleba to make Manchester United debut within three weeks

Carlos Baleba will not feature for Manchester United this weekend after the club’s new £70 million midfielder was ruled out of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Ipswich with an ankle ligament injury sustained during the summer.

Manager Michael Carrick confirmed the 22-year-old, signed from Brighton earlier this week, is likely to be sidelined for roughly two to three weeks — a window that covers United’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Brighton at Old Trafford and a Premier League trip to Fulham on September 20, the club’s last fixture before the international break.

“He’s got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, three weeks. It’s no major issue. It’ll be great to have him back,” Carrick said.

Carrick was cautious about guaranteeing Baleba would feature before the international break, stopping short of a firm commitment on the timeline. The Fulham game represents the last realistic opportunity for a debut before a three-week pause in the domestic calendar.

Despite the injury setback, Carrick was enthusiastic about what the Cameroonian midfielder will bring to Old Trafford once fit. “We’re delighted to have Carlos. Huge potential, he’s a really exciting signing for us — the quality he has, the attributes he has offset the balance of the group we’ve got. Different strengths, different combinations. So much more to come from him as well, so it’s exciting for us.”

Baleba had been on United’s radar for more than a year before the deal was finalised, with the fee reported at up to £70 million. Carrick indicated the signing addresses a specific need in the squad’s midfield balance, suggesting Baleba’s profile differs from the options already available to him.