Alejandro Balde’s Barcelona setback revives Manchester United interest
Manchester United are reportedly considering a renewed January approach for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, with the 22-year-old having slipped to third choice under Hansi Flick at Camp Nou.
Sport Witness have relayed a report from Mundo Deportivo stating that United retain a “firm interest” in Balde ahead of the winter window. Nothing here amounts to an agreed fee or a submitted bid; this is reported interest, not a confirmed transfer.
Why United are looking again
INEOS judged that Luke Shaw alone would be sufficient cover at left-back heading into this season, and that call has already backfired. Shaw has missed three games through injury, Patrick Dorgu has not convinced as his deputy, and Harry Amass is not considered ready for regular first-team football, meaning Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot look set to be shuffled between right-back and left-back as the campaign wears on.
United had been tracking Lewis Hall at Newcastle, but the Magpies shut that door before a formal approach could be made, and the Old Trafford club are said to be eyeing a return for him next summer instead. That patience is what left them empty-handed in the summer even as Balde, Jorge Salinas and David Raum were all reportedly obtainable, as previously detailed in United’s search for left-back reinforcements.
A loan offer for Balde was tabled late in the window but failed to impress Barcelona, while the player himself wanted to stay and fight for his place, a stance covered in more detail around United’s previous approach for the Spaniard. Whether that reluctance survives another season on the bench, alongside the ongoing uncertainty over Shaw’s contract situation, remains to be tested.
A stagnating pecking order
Balde, once described by former Barcelona boss Xavi as a “revelation”, has managed just a 12-minute cameo this season with João Cancelo and Xavi Espart both ahead of him under Flick. The German is understood to have identified what the report calls a stagnation in his form last season, which explains the drop down the order.
According to the Mundo Deportivo report, “The winter transfer window presents a moment that could change Balde’s perception of his future if he doesn’t see an increase in playing time under Flick. United are keeping a close eye on him.”
What needs resolving before January
Plenty remains unsettled. It is not yet clear whether Barcelona would entertain another loan proposal having rejected one already, nor whether INEOS will abandon their long-term plan to revisit Hall.
Balde’s playing time between now and the turn of the year looks like the genuine deciding factor. If Flick continues to freeze him out, the calculus at Camp Nou and at Carrington could shift quickly, but for now this is interest, not an agreement.
