The Cameroon midfielder has yet to appear for United since his £70 million move from Brighton in the summer, having arrived carrying an ankle ligament injury sustained during the Seagulls' pre-season friendly against Strasbourg. According to the Evening Standard, Baleba has been pictured working in the gym and out on the grass at United's Carrington base ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie against his former club.
Michael Carrick had previously expressed hope that Baleba would be fit to feature before the international break, though he stopped short of setting a firm timeline for his return.
"He's got a little ankle issue," Carrick said last month. "But we knew that before, so it's no major issue. 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."
Despite the encouraging signs in training, a club statement issued this week suggested Baleba will not be involved against Brighton at Old Trafford.
"Baleba is working as hard as he can to get back into contention," the statement read.
Manchester United will be looking to bounce back from Sunday's Manchester derby defeat, in which they lost 1-0 to Manchester City despite their opponents playing more than an hour with 10 men following Phil Foden's dismissal. Carrick is expected to provide a fuller fitness update on Baleba, along with Luke Shaw, Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt, when he previews the cup tie on Tuesday.
Baleba's introduction to Carrick's midfield is one of the more eagerly anticipated aspects of United's rebuild this season, with the 22-year-old arriving as one of the club's marquee summer signings. Once available, he is expected to offer a different physical profile to the options already in the squad, with a debut against Leeds United next month having previously been mentioned as a realistic target if his recovery continues to progress smoothly.
United's patience with the injury reflects a wider approach to his recovery. The club is understood to have always anticipated a spell on the sidelines for Baleba and have resisted accelerating his rehabilitation simply to have him available, preferring to ensure he is fully up to speed before his first appearance in a red shirt.