Midfielder Carlos Baleba is officially a member of Manchester United, but it will be awhile before he debuts with his new club. “He’s got a little ankle issue,” manager Michael Carrick said at his press conference earlier today.
“So maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, but we’ll see. But we knew that before, so it’s no major issue.”
Manchester United vs Ipswich Town
Kickoff: Sun. Aug 30, 4:30pm
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
Premier League Form, Standing: Manchester United L, 0 pts, GD -2, 16th Ipswich Town W, 3pts, GD +1, 8th
Result Probability According to Google: Manchester United 68% Draw 18% Ipswich Town 14%
Man United Team News
So by that narrative, he won’t be able to feature until Sept. 20 at Fulham. Carrick continued: “It will be great to have him back. We’ll wait and see. We’re hopeful, but I don’t want to put any deadlines on it just yet.”
Also nursing an ankle issue is Amad Diallo, and it’s hard to say when he might be back. It could be awhile.
Said Carrick, earlier today: “Amad won’t be involved this week. He’ll be out a little bit longer.”
There is better news though, with Mason Mount, as he’s been passed fit, and is now ready to return to action against Ipswich Town on Sunday. Otherwise, there are no changes with the United injury situation, as Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and Thomas Heaton remain sidelined.
Interviews with Ipswich Town Ownership
The Sports Bank was fortunate enough to have an exclusive interview with two members of the Ipswich Town ownership group. New Orleans Saints legend Marques Colston and former MMA fighter Nick Edwards, are owners of Ipswich via their connection to the Champion Fund.
Both joined us, earlier this week, via Zoom, where we asked them how and why they became involved in owning an English football club.
“We like looking at emerging leagues,” said Edwards.
“European football, and others, and so that’s how we got into Ipswich. We kind of formed and had the relationship where we were able to get in at an evaluation where they were in the Championship League, and now they’ve since been promoted to Premier League, which is obviously great upside for those that are participating in Champion Fund.”
Ipswich won their season opener, beating a very good Sunderland team (who were just promoted themselves only one year before) last weekend. The Tractor Boys will indeed come to play this Sunday.
Colston mentioned what drew him to becoming a part-owner of ther club.
“It’s figuring out how do you extend the thing that you spent your entire life building towards, once you’re done as a player. (otherwise) It’s like you fall off a cliff and you don’t exist anymore. Like where are the opportunities to to stay engaged and actually build wealth through the product that you created.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.