According to The Sun, Baleba has kept his original support system intact, with his personal chef still by his side, his sister living with him, and his long-time agent Patrick continuing to play a central role in his life.

Carlos Baleba has dreamed for years of one day walking out of the tunnel as a Manchester United player. But after completing his blockbuster summer move to Old Trafford, the Cameroonian star has had to do something even harder: wait.

An injury delayed the start of his Manchester United career and prevented him from immediately showing fans why the club worked so hard to bring him to Manchester. Off the pitch, however, Baleba is quietly adapting to his new environment, supported by a close-knit circle that helps keep him grounded.

The Sun understands that Baleba deliberately retained most of his original support structure, which was instrumental to his success on the south coast of England.

Patrick was by Baleba's side when he joined Lille as a teenager, then facilitated his move to Brighton, and finally accompanied him on the journey to Manchester United.

This familiar support system helped ease the disappointment of joining his dream club while being sidelined by injury. Fortunately, the injury was not serious.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has indicated that Baleba is expected to make his long-awaited debut after the international break.

Ten Hag said: "He'll be back in full training in about a week, so after the international break, he should be in good shape.

"Carlos arrived with an injury, and he's now very eager to play, to train with his teammates, and to truly integrate into the team. As I've said before, he's clearly a quality player, which is why we signed him. And he can balance the midfield configuration very well."

For 22-year-old Baleba, the journey to Old Trafford is about more than just football.

He lost his mother during his time at Lille, an experience that shaped who he is today, and he has previously spoken to The Sun about how it affected his life.

His father still lives in Cameroon and works as a coach, but has visited him in Manchester twice since his son's summer transfer. However, there are currently no plans for him to move permanently to the UK.

Just as during Baleba's time at Brighton, his family hopes to maintain a living arrangement that has proven very beneficial: being present when he needs them while also giving him space to build his own life.

Baleba's support network extends beyond his immediate family. Cameroon national team coach has told The Sun that he has intentionally maintained close contact with the midfielder during this major career transition.

He also decided not to call Baleba up for the latest national squad, partly due to his injury and partly to give him valuable time to settle in.

He told The Sun: "I've been in contact with Carlos, and even more recently, because we want him to reach his highest level. I didn't call him up for this international break mainly because he was injured, but also because we want him to take his time and settle in properly. He has always wanted this opportunity, but I told him that the way to succeed is to keep his head down, train hard, and listen to his coach.

"You already have the talent; just block out the outside noise, and you will succeed there."

In Cameroon, Baleba is regarded by many as a blessed child.

And an African proverb particularly suits this midfielder as he embarks on a challenging new chapter: "He who asks never gets lost." Fortunately, Baleba is never short of people to turn to for help.

One of them is his Manchester United teammate Dayot Upamecano, also from Cameroon. Although they had previously shared a national team dressing room, they weren't particularly close before Baleba arrived at Old Trafford. However, Upamecano quickly began looking after his compatriot. He showed Baleba around Manchester and, during his first few weeks, essentially acted as an "older brother."

Then there's André Onana. The Manchester United goalkeeper is currently on loan at Trabzonspor, but his family still lives in Manchester.

Onana is also one of the senior figures Baleba can rely on, and he has made it clear to the midfielder that if he needs any help making Manchester feel like home, he just needs to ask.

Cyprian Bessong Ashu, who worked with Baleba as an assistant coach for the Cameroon national team, believes this support network will be crucial.

He told The Sun: "I've spoken to him. He's obviously a bit frustrated because he would have preferred to start immediately. But otherwise, he's doing great. They've found him accommodation, and his arrangements are very good.

"He's a good kid, and he has good people around him, so he's always been fine. You know, his agent Patrick is always with him, and they are in control of everything. They've planned everything, and it's all going smoothly."

When Baleba finally steps onto the Old Trafford pitch, the expectations awaiting him will be immense. Manchester United has invested significantly in the midfielder, and the club believes he can become a vital player for the future.

From the fans' perspective, his strength, impact, and dribbling ability are already expected to address some of the issues plaguing Manchester United's midfield. This also means pressure. Baleba knows it, and so do those around him.

But the people closest to the Cameroonian star are determined to ensure that the noise surrounding this important life-changing transfer never drowns out the advice that brought him all the way from Cameroon to Lille, Brighton, and now to Manchester.

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