Wayne Rooney believes Carlos Baleba will improve Manchester United "massively" and rejects the claim the Cameroon midfielder went missing after his failed move to Old Trafford last season.
Baleba is expected to move from Brighton in a deal worth up to £70 million ($95m) and become United's third midfield summer signing after Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
Tielemans and Santos both made debuts on Saturday as they started the lacklustre 2-0 Premier League defeat at newly promoted Hull.
"I really like him [Baleba], I think he's a really good signing," United's record scorer told the 'Stick to United with Wayne Rooney' podcast on Disney+.
"We need another midfield player with a bit of physicality and I know he's not six-foot-four or whatever but he covers the ground really well, he's aggressive, he takes the ball, and is what we need. He's a very good player who will improve the team massively.
"It will be interesting with Tielemans, Santos and [Kobbie] Mainoo but this is what it should be. Competition for places. If you don't play well, you don't play."
The 22-year-old Baleba attracted interest from United last season but Brighton were reported to have set a £100m [$134m] price tag.
Baleba subsequently had a poor campaign, starting only 23 Premier League games and failing to score, amid suggestions that he had gone "missing" on the south coast.
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Rooney added: "I don't think he went missing. The chance doesn't come around that often to play for Manchester United, so you don't know what effect that has.
"There's no denying his ability as a player. I think he is a top player."
United put the onus on a midfield rebuild this summer having seen the influential Casemiro depart before Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury.
Tielemans and Santos arrived from Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively last month at a cost of £85m [$116].