Carlos Baleba may have to play out of position at Manchester United if Michael Carrick fails to land his top transfer target.
The Brighton star is expected to complete a long-anticipated move to Old Trafford in the coming days, with the two clubs close to agreeing a deal worth up to £65million.
United fans will have to wait a little while for his debut however, with Baleba currently sidelined with an ankle ligament injury.
The 22-year-old will compete for a spot in Carrick’s midfield engine room against Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and fellow summer signings Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
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But he may well be deployed in a new role for the Red Devils, with the club struggling to sign a left-back before deadline day on September.
The Athletic report that after the arrival of Tielemans and Santos, United’s focus switched to recruiting cover and competition for Luke Shaw – the only natural left-back in the first-team.
But when the injury-prone Mount suffered another setback in pre-season, the recruitment team decided to look at players capable of operating both in midfield and at full-back.
Targets included Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga but with both unattainable, they pivoted back to Baleba.
Baleba has never played at left-back before but is left-footed and has previously filled in as a centre-back for Brighton.
It is reported that the Cameroon international will be considered to play there if need be, a scenario that will surely arise with Carrick struggling to get a defender through the door before before the transfer window closes.
United’s top left-back targets are Lewis Hall and Joaquin Seys but Newcastle United and Club Brugge are adamant they are going nowhere this summer.
Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde is the latest name linked with Old Trafford, with United holding talks with the Spain international’s agent.
Additionally, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez and Patrick Dorgu have all covered at left-back before, but none are considered naturals in that position.
United kick-off their season on Saturday with a trip to newly-promoted Hull City.
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