Baleba set for long-awaited Man Utd debut against Spurs
Carlos Baleba could finally make his Manchester United debut against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Cameroon midfielder has yet to play a competitive minute since his £70m move from Brighton on 25 August, according to BBC. He was United's most expensive arrival in a three-player summer rebuild of midfield.
Baleba arrived injured. An ankle problem kept him out from the day he signed. United gave him time rather than rushing him back.
His road back has been step by step. He was named on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Fulham on 20 September but did not come on. Then he played in a closed-doors game against Swiss side Lausanne-Sports on 2 October, a private friendly used for fitness.
United confirmed that run-out as his first taste of action in a United shirt, saying he was working towards a competitive debut in a report on Manchester United. Cameroon, his national team, then beat Ivory Coast in a friendly on 3 October during the international break.
The deal itself was a long one in the making. Baleba joined Brighton from Lille for £23.2m in 2023. Three years later United signed him to a contract until 2031, with the option to extend, Reuters reported. His arrival completed a £155m summer revamp of the club's midfield after Casemiro left in May.
United could use the lift. They sit 12th in the Premier League with one win and five points from their first five games. Brighton also knocked them out of the EFL Cup, football's secondary knockout cup, after coming from 2-0 down to win at Old Trafford.
Spurs are the visitors this weekend. They were bottom of the table heading into the game under United boss Michael Carrick's former club reunion. Carrick was expected to give an update on Baleba at his pre-match press conference on Friday, shown on MUTV from 13:30 BST.
For fans, this means a first proper look at the player bought to anchor the middle. A midfielder links defence and attack, winning the ball and starting moves. That is the job United signed Baleba to do.
What makes this stand out is the wait. Six weeks, no debut, and a big fee watching from the stands. Saturday offers a simple reset: new signing, home crowd, ninety minutes to feel together.
