Manchester United have received a significant boost in their bid to sign Alejandro Balde from Barcelona. The Red Devils are believed to see Lewis Hall as an ideal long-term replacement for the ageing Luke Shaw, but Newcastle United's reluctance to sell the 21-year-old is proving a major obstacle.
Newcastle will only consider letting Hall go if United pay a fee exceeding the £68m record for a defender, set by Bayern Munich when they signed Lucas Hernandez from Real Madrid in 2019. As a result, United have broadened their search for defensive reinforcements, with Barcelona's Balde emerging as a strong candidate.
Balde's Barcelona struggles
The 22-year-old has been at Barcelona since coming through their youth academy in 2021. However, intense competition for places and injury setbacks have seen him fall out of favour under head coach Hansi Flick.
According to Sport, Balde has given Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes the green light to find him a new club. Balde was left out of Flick's squad for Barcelona's La Liga opener at Elche on Sunday evening, with the coach making clear he only wants players who are fully committed to the club.
Competition for Balde's signature
United could secure a bargain alternative to Hall in the coming days, but they will face stiff competition from clubs in Portugal and Italy who are also understood to be keen on the full-back.
The move comes as United focus on strengthening their midfield following Casemiro's departure on a free transfer. The club have already signed Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa in a £35m deal and Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £52m, and are also targeting Brighton's Carlos Baleba.
Further transfer plans
United have agreed a £70m fee for Baleba, including £5m in add-ons, with a five-year contract on the table for the 22-year-old, who missed Brighton's Premier League opener against Aston Villa on Sunday through injury.
United will look to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Hull City on Saturday when they host fellow Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town at Old Trafford in seven days' time.
