Manchester United are keeping a close eye on Barcelona's Alejandro Balde, with potential plans to renew their interest in January. The Red Devils made a move for the 22-year-old this past summer, but he chose to stay with the Catalan side.
Initially, United identified Lewis Hall as their primary target for left-back, but Newcastle were unwilling to let him go. Following that setback, the club explored options including Balde and Joakim Maehle from Brugge, ultimately ending the transfer window without bolstering their squad in that position.
However, Balde's standing at Barcelona has deteriorated since then. Hansi Flick has indicated that the young Spaniard finds himself behind Joao Cancelo and Javier Espinosa in the pecking order of left-backs.
In the current season, Balde has seen just 12 minutes of action, all in a convincing 7-2 victory over Racing on September 16 — his only appearance for the first team thus far.
A decision regarding Balde’s future could be on the horizon this winter. Should his playing time continue to dwindle, he may rethink his options regarding a departure from Barcelona, and United are closely monitoring these developments.
The need for a left-back remains pressing for manager Michael Carrick. While Luke Shaw and Harry Amass are available, Carrick resorted to using Patrick Dorhu in Shaw’s absence. Both Shaw and Amass have contracts running until 2027.
