Alejandro Balde: United told what they must do to land Barca full-back | OneFootball

Manchester United appear not to have learned from their past transfer mistakes despite an overhauled recruitment setup.

In the summer of 2024, the Red Devils overlooked the worrying injury records of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui and signed them from Bayern Munich. Both defenders have struggled to remain consistently available.

The same could be said for the club’s long-term servant Luke Shaw. Now, United are allegedly targeting another injury-prone defender to strengthen their backline.

Barcelona ready to sell Alejandro Balde

According to Sport, Manchester United are interested in Alejandro Balde, with Barcelona open to sanctioning his exit.

It is claimed that United admire the Spaniard, who is known for his explosive pace and ball-carrying ability. Furthermore, the Premier League giants would be willing to explore the possibility of a transfer should Balde give his approval.

As far as Barcelona are concerned, the 22-year-old is available for sale, having fallen down the pecking order under Hansi Flick following the arrival of Joao Cancelo in January.

Persistent injuries have stunted his development, and with his contract expiring in 2028, the Spain international could be sold to raise funds for the summer transfer window.

The newspaper suggests that Barca would not object to his sale if they receive a convincing offer. The report indicates that an offer of around €50 million (£43.1m) could seal the deal for the full-back, who is viewed as a market opportunity by United. Balde’s current contract contains a buy-out clause of one billion euros (£865m).

However, everything hinges on the player opening the door for a summer move to Old Trafford. As things stand, he wants to continue at Camp Nou, and the Blaugrana will not force an exit.

Aston Villa could save United from Barcelona nightmare

United would be wise not to waste their time trying to convince an injury-prone and out-of-favour youngster to be part of their ambitious project.

Ineos should also act decisively to resolve Marcus Rashford‘s future, with Barcelona showing reluctance to trigger their £26 million buy option. The La Liga leaders would prefer to agree a reduced fee or even another loan deal.

Recently, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming Aston Villa are keen on reuniting with Rashford. “Unai Emery wants the player back for next season and is waiting to hear Manchester United’s position,” the report stated.

A swift, permanent move to Villa would not only boost United’s budget but also save them from the headache of dealing with debt-ridden Barcelona.

Feature image Judit Cartiel via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social