Carlos Baleba has not been named in Manchester United's squad to face Ipswich Town because he arrived at the club carrying a pre-existing ankle issue from Brighton.
Recovery timeline
Head coach Michael Carrick confirmed the midfielder will be out for up to three weeks, stating, "He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks."
United were fully aware of his fitness status before completing the £70 million signing, with Carrick noting, "We knew that before, so it's no major issue but it'll be great to have him back when we can."
Missed matches and international break uncertainty
The ankle injury had already forced Baleba to miss Brighton's recent UEFA Conference League matches as well as their Premier League season opener prior to completing his move to Old Trafford.
Carrick remains unsure if Baleba will play before the three-week international break, admitting, "It's obviously new, the break to deal with, but we'll wait and see... I don't want to put any deadlines on it just yet."
Potential debut and excitement over signing
Based on the manager's two-to-three-week timeline, Baleba could potentially return to make his debut against his former team, Brighton, in the Carabao Cup or against Fulham on September 20.
Despite the injury delay, Carrick expressed great enthusiasm about the 22-year-old's arrival, saying, "We're delighted to have Carlos... huge potential, massive potential. I think he's a really exciting signing for us."
Carrick emphasised that Baleba offers unique attributes to the midfield squad, adding, "the quality that he has, the attributes that he has... offsets a little bit of the balance of the group that we've got. Different strengths, different combinations."
