Baleba’s United debut offers a first glimpse of the energy their midfield needs

Carlos Baleba’s first 31 minutes for Manchester United brought a sharp first touch and forward passing, but the bigger question is whether he can turn that cameo into regular minutes. United drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, and the summer signing could not change the result; his introduction did give former United midfielder Quinton Fortune an encouraging first impression.

Speaking on MUTV, Fortune praised Baleba’s touch and the weight of his first pass in behind. “He needs more games,” Fortune said, adding that he wanted to see the midfielder “in full flow”. It was a measured endorsement: the brief appearance showed qualities Fortune liked, while leaving Baleba with plenty to build on.

Jamie Redknapp identified a clearer role for him. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Liverpool midfielder said he had not seen enough energy from Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo against Tottenham. “Baleba will add a lot and will give them a tremendous amount of energy,” Redknapp said.

That is the argument for giving the 22-year-old a chance to establish himself. United signed Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion after tracking him for more than a year, as they reshaped their midfield following Casemiro’s departure. They had pursued Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes but missed out on both, then signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Tielemans from Aston Villa before Baleba arrived later in the window.

A summer knock delayed Baleba’s first appearance. He had also been an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with Fulham before the international break, so the Tottenham match was his first competitive opportunity to show what he could add.

United’s next test is Atlético Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, 13 October. Baleba will be pushing for a place in the starting XI. One cameo cannot settle the midfield question, but Fortune’s praise for his passing and Redknapp’s call for more energy make the case for giving him a longer look. Regular game time is now the route from promising first impression to a meaningful part of United’s rebuild.