The games Carlos Baleba will miss for Man Utd as Michael Carrick reveals injury latest

Carlos Baleba will need to up three weeks to recover from an ankle injury which will delay his Manchester United debut.

The Cameroon international sealed his £65million move to Old Trafford last week and is expected to be unveiled ahead of Sunday’s match against Ipswich Town.

Baleba was the final piece of United’s midfield rebuild, joining Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans at the club as part of a £150million revamp in the middle of the park.

The 22-year-old however will have to wait a few more weeks before he can line up alongside his new teammates.

Baleba returned for pre-season training with Brighton in July but picked up an ankle ligament injury that ruled him out of a friendly match against Strasbourg. He subsequently missed the Seagulls’ games against Roma and Bologna.

Michael Carrick confirmed on Friday his midfielder is still two to three weeks away from returning to action.

That timeline could see him return against Fulham on 20 September, but United could be tempted to hold him back until their next game following the international break against Tottenham on 10 October.

‘So, maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, we’ll see. But we knew that before, so it’s no major issue,’ Carrick told a press conference on Friday.

‘It’ll be great to have him back when we can. We’re delighted with Carlos. I think huge potential, massive potential. I think it’s a really exciting signing for us.’

Including upcoming Carabao Cup and Champions League games, Baleba could miss six games in total for his new side.

United suffered another injury blow ahead of their season opener against Hull City last weekend with Amad Diallo left out of the squad.

It was later revealed the Ivorian had suffered an ankle injury in training with reports this week suggesting he could be sidelined for six weeks.

While Carrick would not put a timeframe on Amad’s absence, he admitted he would be out ‘a little longer’ than Baleba.

‘Tielemans and Santos not athletic enough in midfield’

Baleba offers United real athleticism and mobility in midfield with Carrick hoping the blend of qualities, he Tielemans and Santos can offer collectively can be a long-term solution.

Tielemans and Santos started against Hull City on Saturday and looked off the pace with former United right-back Paul Parker labelling the pair ‘cumbersome’ in midfield.

‘Baleba and Tielemans both of them look very similar – they don’t look athletic,’ Parker told Metro via Stake.

‘They’re not really what’s required of modern-day football to be perfectly honest in the way they look, so really, they’ve got to up themselves and in a way prove everyone wrong.

‘They have to show that it isn’t always about stature and it’s about your football head and your football ability.

‘But when you look at the midfield there was no fluency. I think Kobbie Mainoo has to play at the weekend against Ipswich, as we have to play and get someone on the ball who can be comfortable with the ball. Carrick needs to make up his mind with that.’

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