Carlos Baleba could make Manchester United debut against Tottenham

Carlos Baleba could make his Manchester United debut when Tottenham Hotspur visit Old Trafford on Saturday, 10 October, according to a BBC Sport report published on Friday. United signed the £70m midfielder while he had an ankle injury, and the report says the club may still have to wait until after the international break to use him. His availability, selection and playing time against Tottenham are not confirmed.

The Premier League’s fixture list confirms Saturday’s match at United. For Baleba, it is the next possible chance to make a competitive appearance for the club he joined from Brighton on 25 August. For United, the question comes amid a difficult start: they were 12th after five league games, with one win and five points, when the BBC reported on his progress.

How close is Baleba to a Manchester United debut?

Baleba has taken part in some football since arriving, though neither of his reported steps towards a return establishes that he will play on Saturday. After a handful of training sessions, he was named on the bench for United’s 1-1 draw at Fulham on 20 September. He also played in a closed-doors game against Swiss side Lausanne-Sport on 2 October, when United’s international contingent was absent, according to the BBC.

Those appearances give a clearer picture of his preparation than the suggestion of an imminent debut alone. They do not settle how much match fitness he has regained after the ankle injury. The BBC’s account leaves open the possibility that United will wait until after the international break. There is no confirmed starting place, substitute appearance or playing-time plan in the cited reporting.

Why United signed Baleba for midfield

Carrick has paired Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans in the previous four league games, with the BBC pointing to their technical ability. Its report says United have been too easy to play through and slow to spot danger. It also notes that Andrey Santos offers pace in midfield. Baleba would give Carrick another option if he is fit enough to be selected.

One United insider quoted by the BBC called Baleba ‘Very quick’ and said he ‘covers the ground really well’. That is an early assessment from an unnamed club source, based on limited time with the player. It is not evidence of what he will deliver in a competitive United match, particularly after time out with an ankle problem.

What is at stake against Tottenham?

United’s league position helps explain the attention on a possible debut. At the time of the BBC report, they had taken five points from their opening five matches. Brighton had also recovered from 2-0 down at Old Trafford to knock them out of the EFL Cup. Baleba’s arrival on the pitch, if it happens, would come in a period when Carrick is looking for improvement rather than in a settled, winning side.

The defensive figures add to the midfield question. The BBC reported that United had conceded twice in four of their seven games in all competitions and were among four Premier League sides yet to keep a clean sheet. Those numbers describe a wider team issue. Baleba was recruited for a role that could affect how United protect their defence, but the reporting provides no basis to promise an immediate change in results.

The £70m fee also raises expectations. BBC Sport says United paid it to bring Baleba from Brighton in August, despite knowing about his injury. The report characterises his 2024-25 performances as strong enough to prompt suggestions of a possible Real Madrid move, while describing his following season as often below par. That history is relevant to expectations, though neither period predicts how he will perform for United.

Suggestions that United’s late interest in the summer of 2025 had distracted Baleba were dismissed by Brighton sources speaking to the BBC. The report offered no alternative explanation for the change it saw in his form. His first United appearance, whenever it comes, will therefore be a new test of his role and fitness, rather than an answer to every question about his previous season.