Carrick urges caution over Carlos Baleba’s Manchester United debut

Manchester United are taking a measured approach to Carlos Baleba’s first-team introduction, with Michael Carrick stressing that the midfielder needs further work after an interrupted pre-season. The 20-year-old Cameroon international has returned to grass work and played in a closed-door match at Carrington, but a start against Tottenham Hotspur this Saturday appears unlikely.

Baleba building fitness after pre-season setback

Baleba joined United while still managing an injury sustained during his time at Brighton, leaving him short of the conditioning and match rhythm normally built during the final stages of pre-season.

He travelled for United’s recent away fixture at Fulham but did not leave the bench. Since then, he has taken a further step by featuring in a training-game friendly against Lausanne-Sport behind closed doors at Carrington.

• Baleba was an unused substitute in the trip to Fulham.
• He has since played minutes in an internal fixture involving Lausanne-Sport.
• The midfielder is working to recover the fitness lost during pre-season.
• United want to avoid a recurrence of the injury that delayed his integration.

Carrick said Baleba was moving nearer to contention and that it had been valuable for the staff to watch him train closely. The United manager also noted that the recent friendly gave the player useful minutes, while underlining how much significant preparation time he had missed.

Carrick urges patience with new signing

The manager believes Baleba will bring an important extra dimension to a midfield group he already considers strong, but he does not intend to accelerate the player’s return simply because of the attention around his arrival.

“He is getting closer,” Carrick said. “There has to be some patience while he gets up to speed, and it is our responsibility to choose the right moment. He gives us a lot, though.”

Carrick described the former Brighton player as a young footballer making a major move, and said the club’s priority is to support his adaptation to a different setting and system rather than demand an immediate impact.

• United regard Baleba as an addition to an already well-stocked midfield department.
• The club see his development as a longer-term process rather than an instant solution.
• His athleticism and ability to win possession could offer a distinct midfield profile.
• A fully fit Baleba would also provide another rotation option as domestic and European commitments increase.

“We do not want to ask for everything immediately,” Carrick added. “He is young and has made a big move. We will help him reach the required level, because he strengthens an already good midfield group. More training will help him progress over the coming weeks, months and, hopefully, years.”

Tottenham decision still to come

Baleba is expected to remain in consideration for the matchday group when Tottenham visit Old Trafford, although his lack of a complete pre-season makes a place in the starting side improbable.

United’s coaching staff are focused on bringing him back carefully, with the expectation that patience now will give the squad greater depth later in the campaign, particularly through the winter schedule.