Carrick faces media as United table £65m Baleba bid ahead of Hull opener

Michael Carrick addressed the media on Thursday ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League opener at Hull City on Saturday, with the club’s pursuit of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba and a clutch of injury concerns dominating the briefing.

United have submitted a bid of £60m plus £5m in add-ons for Baleba, a player Brighton valued at more than £100m just twelve months ago. The Cameroonian midfielder was on the club’s radar last summer, but that asking price made a deal impossible at the time. His form dipped during the 2024-25 season — Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler acknowledged that transfer speculation had affected the player — and United are now hoping to capitalise on the reduced valuation.

On the injury front, Carrick was expected to provide updates on Benjamin Sesko and Matthijs de Ligt, both of whom featured in training on Tuesday. Sesko is considered the more likely of the two to be available for Saturday, though neither player featured in any of United’s pre-season fixtures, meaning the club may opt to manage their return carefully. Mason Mount was also absent from training earlier in the week, and his fitness ahead of the Hull trip was another point of discussion.

Marcus Rashford’s potential Premier League return also drew attention. The forward played against AC Milan last weekend and has been reintegrated into the squad following his loan spell at Barcelona, with Carrick set to be pressed on whether Rashford will feature at the MKM Stadium.

The press conference marks Carrick’s first of a full season as United head coach, having taken charge partway through the previous campaign. The trip to Hull represents the opening fixture of what promises to be a defining year for both the manager and the club.