Barcelona's Alejandro Balde, who turned down an opportunity to join Manchester United in the summer, is now seriously weighing up a switch in January after struggling to secure game time.
The Red Devils were on the lookout for reinforcements at left-back before the season kicked off, with Balde, Lewis Hall, and Jorge Salinas on their radar. However, moves for any of these players failed to materialise as the Spanish defender decided to stay put in Catalonia, despite conversations between United's representatives and his camp.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the situation has drastically changed:
In the first eight matches of the season, Balde, who represented Spain at the 2022 World Cup and is a regular in the national squad, has managed just 12 minutes on the pitch under coach Hansi Flick. He made a late cameo in a 7-2 La Liga victory against Racing, highlighting a severe lack of playing time that is pushing him to rethink his club situation.
Manchester United still have a pressing need for a left-back and are prepared to reopen talks.
Moreover, Caught Offside reports that Barcelona plans to offload several players in January to lighten their wage bill:
Barcelona is expected to put several players up for sale after failed attempts to let them go in the summer. Agents have already offered Balde to Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool, all of whom are expressing interest.
With Hall off the table due to his recent long-term contract with Newcastle, the alternative for Manchester United remains Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell. Sources suggest the Englishman would likely welcome an offer from Old Trafford. The Manchester hierarchy will need to make a final decision between the Spanish star and Mitchell as the January window approaches.
