ESPN: Man Utd ready to welcome £34m star on loan ahead of crucial face-to-face meeting

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Utd Report

·24 August 2026

ESPN: Man Utd ready to welcome £34m star on loan ahead of crucial face-to-face meeting

Manchester United are showing keen interest in Alejandro Balde, who could be on his way out of Barcelona this week.

With only one week separating us from the transfer deadline, the Red Devils have yet to find a new left-back to share the role with Luke Shaw.

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The club had identified Lewis Hall as the ideal target for the role, but Newcastle and their new head coach, Matthias Jaissle, have made it abundantly clear that the 21-year-old isn’t for sale, thus forcing INEOS to pursue other targets.

Man United want Alejandro Balde on loan

Last week, Balde emerged as Man Utd’s new top target. The 22-year-old is a Barcelona youth product who cemented himself as a key player at the club, at least before his momentum was interrupted by recurring injury problems.

The Spaniard is enduring a particularly difficult start to the season, with his manager Hansi Flick dropping him from the matchday squad on the opening day of the season.

According to ESPN journalist Rob Dawson, the German tactician is planning face-to-face talks with the player, whom he accused of being distracted.

In the meantime, Man Utd continue to monitor the situation vigilantly, as they prepare to make an approach.

As the source explains, United would prefer to sign Balde on a season-long deal with an option to buy should the left-back express his desire to join them.

Meanwhile, Barcelona would look to collect a transfer fee between €30 million (£26m) and €40m (£34m).

Why Man Utd prefer a temporary formula

As reported by The Athletic last week, Man Utd haven’t completely abandoned their plans to sign Hall from Newcastle, but simply delayed it to next summer after understanding that the right conditions aren’t there.

Therefore, signing Balde on loan would solidify the role by bringing one of the most exciting young players in his position, and at the same time, they would avoid long-term commitments.

In this case, if the Spaniard produces the good, INEOS would be happy to exercise their option to buy him. On the other hand, they would be able to send him back to Barcelona should he struggle to adapt to the Premier League or suffer further injury problems, which would allow them to rekindle their pursuit of Hall.