On September 30, Beijing Time (CEST), The Athletic reported that Baleba has been training at Carrington, following a personalized program designed to gradually restore his full fitness.

The Manchester United midfielder was given time off from team training last week, but the midfielder, along with several other players not involved in international duty, continued individual training at the club's facility. He is currently recovering from an ankle injury that delayed his debut following his move in August from Brighton.

The 22-year-old's recovery has actually exceeded expectations, allowing him to be included in the squad for the team's last match before players rejoined their national teams—a 1-1 away draw against Fulham. His professionalism has greatly impressed the coaching staff.

The midfielder has yet to play a single minute this season, which led Cameroon to believe he was not fit enough for this Africa Cup of Qualifiers round. However, he may feature this weekend in Manchester United's U21 match against Lausanne Sport of Switzerland.

Although the ankle injury is not severe, it means Manchester United has yet to field its biggest summer signing—the club previously reached an agreement with Brighton to recruit the player for a fee rising to £70 million (approximately $93 million).

The arrivals of André Santos and Tielemans were also intended to strengthen this area of the team, and both players have had opportunities to feature. However, Manchester United's poor start to the season—just one win in their first five Premier League matches—has also cast doubt on the team's recruitment efforts.

But how well they have overhauled their midfield remains to be seen until Baleba takes the pitch.

As Manchester United players return from international duty to prepare for their October 10 clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, there is great anticipation that Baleba will finally get his chance to compete for a starting position in that match.

Recruiting a defensive midfielder will not instantly solve all of Manchester United's problems, but Baleba is the most prominent and arguably the most important acquisition they made this summer. It is clear that Manchester United lacked a defensive midfielder, and he was recruited to fill the void left by departing Casemiro.

With Baleba unavailable, manager Michael Carrick opted for the midfielder pairing of Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo over Santos. This meant that in four Premier League matches where both started together, Manchester United lacked a true defensive midfielder.

Aging Casemiro is no longer the dominant defensive anchor he was at Real Madrid, but he remained an important part of Carrick's squad last season as the team climbed the league table. Last season, Manchester United won just one match when the Brazilian international was not a starter—an away fixture against Brighton in the final game.

In seven matches across all competitions where he was not a starter, the team's record was 1 win, 1 draw, and 5 losses. In matches where he was in the starting lineup, the team recorded 19 wins, 10 draws, and 4 losses. Since Casemiro's departure, the team's record across all competitions is 2 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses.

Now, at age 34, and with Manchester United's return to European competition this season, his wages would have risen to £350,000 per week. Therefore, Manchester United's decision not to activate the 12-month contract extension clause was likely the right decision.

Removing his wages from the books also facilitated the squad overhaul this summer. However, overhauling the team's core structure is not an easy task, and it is too early to say whether their actions were correct.

With Tielemans and Mainoo as the midfield pair, Manchester United's defensive midfield vulnerability becomes easier to exploit, which was evident in their draw against Fulham.

Their penalty box defense remains solid—no team concedes fewer opposition touches in their penalty area—but it is now easier to break through Manchester United's midfield, as Tielemans and Mainoo are not strong at covering space off the ball.

Fulham's Alex Iwobi sometimes easily cut in from the wing, exploiting the space behind Tielemans and Mainoo. Could Casemiro prevent this? Given his age, covering such a large area would be a challenge, so he certainly wouldn't stop it every time, but he would position himself deeper, narrowing the gap between defense and midfield.

Is it a tactical setup that leaves so much space for Tielemans and Mainoo? It's hard to say, but adopting a positional midfield system usually requires a defensive midfielder to be effective.

Santos was a starter in the opening Premier League match against Hull City and the League Cup match against Brighton, both of which ended in defeat. The 22-year-old Brazilian did not play poorly in these two matches, but the results certainly did not help his developing career at Manchester United.

Now, all eyes will be on what Baleba can deliver to the team.

The Cameroonian international is aggressive off the ball, athletic, and combative. His impressive performances for Brighton in the 2024-25 season, including his playing style and statistics, prompted Manchester United to approach the South Coast club for the summer transfer.

He completed 46 successful tackles and made 46 interceptions in the Premier League, ranking him fifth among Premier League midfielders for interceptions. Additionally, Baleba won 199 duels at the highest level, ranking eighth among Premier League midfielders.

Last season, when Casemiro was at his peak, he won 188 duels, ranking seventh among league midfielders. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's second-highest ranked player in this category, was only 35th with 124. This season, Mainoo leads Manchester United with 23 duel wins, but the league leader is Leeds United's Anton Stach with 36, followed by Manchester City's Elliott Anderson with 34.

Baleba shone in the 2024-25 season, playing 2,671 minutes and demonstrating remarkable ability. However, in the following season, due to inconsistent performances and minor injuries, his playing time dropped dramatically to 1,662 minutes, and Manchester United's interest may have also affected his mentality. This resulted in a decline in his defensive statistics, but internally, Manchester United viewed last season's performance as a minor dip.

Manchester United believes that Baleba's interception ability and duel success rate are key to disrupting opponent attacks, and these qualities can also prevent opposing midfielders from supplying the striker when the team employs a defensive midfield formation.

Of course, what he must do in a match goes far beyond simply protecting his teammates.

In the 2024-25 season, he completed 6.7 progressive carries per 90 minutes, with 2.9 of those covering distances over 10 meters, ranking him fourth in the league for this metric. Manchester United has struggled with quick ball progression after losing possession this season.

Although Baleba's passing style may be conservative, given he will likely be paired with Mainoo or Tielemans, the responsibility for breaking down defenses will fall to one of them. Baleba's strength lies in quick directional changes in attack from deep in his own half, which will help Manchester United penetrate low defensive blocks—something they have struggled with this season.

He may not match Casemiro's threat from set pieces. Manchester United has yet to score from a free kick or corner this season and appears vulnerable in dead-ball defense due to the Brazilian player's irreplaceable contributions on both flanks.

When Baleba joined the club this summer, it was understandable that he kept a low profile, working tirelessly on his fitness through individual training. He played alongside Leny Yoro at Lille in France, and they are close friends. He also has a strong relationship with fellow countryman Bryan Mbeumo, and his friendship with Amad has developed in recent weeks as both have undergone rehabilitation together in the medical room.

As Baleba trains more frequently with his teammates, his personality is beginning to shine through. Everyone at Manchester United's training ground now sees him as enthusiastic and positive, bringing a beneficial influence to the entire squad.

The team now hopes he can quickly make a positive impact on the pitch. While it may not be realistic to expect him alone to turn around the team's season, becoming a starter against Tottenham would significantly boost team morale.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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