Manchester United summer signing Carlos Baleba could be forced to wait until after the October international break for his first appearance in the famous red shirt.
Man United signed Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial fee of £65 million this summer.
However, the 22-year-old has been sidelined by an ankle injury picked up during pre-season with Brighton.
According to journalist Tyrone Marshall, Baleba is unlikely to be fit to face Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday or Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.
That would leave the midfielder facing a frustrating wait, with club football set to resume only after a 20-day international break.
Carlos Baleba could debut vs Spurs
United return to action after the break with a huge home clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on 10 October.
We strongly believe Baleba could finally make his long-awaited debut against Spurs, with head coach Michael Carrick potentially handing him a chance to make an impact from the bench.
The Red Devils are set for a hectic spell, with six games in just 21 days, including the Premier League showdown against Tottenham.
With the schedule packed, rotation could prove crucial for Carrick as he looks to keep his key players fresh and avoid further injury problems.
Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans have already developed a solid partnership in the heart of midfield, but there is one glaring limitation to their combination.
Neither midfielder possesses the explosive running power required to cover huge amounts of ground at pace.
Baleba is very strong and likes to make crunching tackles.
He can also operate as a box-to-box midfielder without allowing his intensity to drop.
Carrick may opt to slowly ease Baleba into the United XI, but it will be interesting to see who partners him in midfield.
Stats from Fotmob.com