Trending 
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has confirmed that new signing Carlos Baleba is expected to miss around three weeks with an ankle injury, delaying the midfielder’s potential debut for the club.
Baleba joined United from Brighton in a reported £70 million ($95 million) transfer, strengthening Carrick’s midfield options alongside the arrivals of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. However, the Cameroon international could now have to wait until October to make his first appearance for the club.
Carrick said the injury was known before Baleba completed his move and is not considered a major concern, but the midfielder’s recovery could coincide with next month’s three-week international break.
“He’s got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks,” Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of United’s meeting with Ipswich on Sunday. “We’ll see but we knew that before, so it’s no major issue but it’ll be great to have him back when we can.”
Despite the setback, Carrick expressed strong confidence in Baleba’s ability to make an impact at Old Trafford, describing the 22-year-old as a player with “huge potential” and “massive potential”.
“We’re delighted to have Carlos,” Carrick said. “I think he’s a really exciting signing for us.”
The United manager also believes Baleba brings qualities that can add greater balance and variety to his midfield, particularly because of the different strengths he offers compared with the club’s existing options.
“I think the quality that he has, the attributes that he has that offsets a little bit of the balance of the group that we’ve got,” Carrick said. “Different strengths, different combinations.”
Carrick secured the United job on a permanent basis after guiding the club to third place in the Premier League during an interim spell last season. However, his first match of the new campaign ended in disappointment as United suffered a 2-0 defeat away to newly promoted Hull last weekend.
The manager could receive a boost against Ipswich, with Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez all in contention to return to the starting line-up after beginning the Hull defeat on the bench.
The trio missed much of pre-season because of their involvement in the latter stages of the World Cup. Carrick confirmed they could feature from the start on Sunday, although Amad Diallo remains unavailable through injury.
With Baleba facing a further spell on the sidelines, Carrick will have to rely on his other midfield options as United look to respond to their opening-day defeat.
