Manchester United approach Barcelona star over late summer move | OneFootball

Barcelona have done well with moving players on this summer, and there could still be further departures before the transfer window closes. Marc Casado is likely to be the next one to go, but joining him at the exit door could be fellow La Masia graduate Alejandro Balde, whose future at the club is back under the microscope.

The last 12 months have been very difficult for Balde. He has struggled to perform at the required level, and that led to him being replaced by Joao Cancelo in the starting line-up from January onwards – and now that the Portuguese full-back has re-joined on a permanent basis, he is likely to be a backup for the 2026-27 season.

Balde is a player that Barcelona have been prepared to sell this summer if they right offer comes in, and that could still happen. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have held talks with the left-back’s representatives in recent days to understand the conditions of a possible deal, and whether he would be willing to move to Old Trafford.

Balde stance on Barcelona exit

Despite knowing that he’s unlikely to be a guaranteed starter for Barcelona during the 2026-27 season, Balde is happy to stay at the Spotify Camp Nou and fight for his place. However, Romano notes that he would be open to leaving if club bosses informed him that he is not counted upon by head coach Hansi Flick, at which point the Man United option could become very real.

While it is true that Balde has had a tough year, he is still only 22. He’s very much the leading candidate to be Barcelona’s long-term left-back, and the added competition of Cancelo could lead him to finding a new level, and thus, proving that he deserves to be a starter for Flick.