Spanish media have publicly urged Alejandro Balde to reject a move to Manchester United, appealing to the 22-year-old's loyalty to Barcelona after 15 years with the club. The left-back has been linked with a summer departure, with United reportedly holding an interest, although club sources have played down their chances of signing him before the transfer window closes.
Balde's Career at Barcelona
Balde has been a key player for Barcelona since breaking into the first team during the 2021/22 campaign, making 168 appearances and winning seven major trophies. However, his place under head coach Hansi Flick has come under threat this season, with Xavi Espart starting in the club's first two games—a 5-0 win over Elche and a 2-0 victory against Athletic Club.
Having failed to feature in either fixture, speculation over Balde's future has grown. A graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy, he has been urged to stay by Mundo Deportivo journalist Xavier Bosch in an open letter appealing to the defender's emotions.
Plea From Spanish Journalist
Bosch wrote: "With effort, sacrifice, and grit in every training session, you'll turn this episode around, and a physically gifted player like yourself can and should still write many chapters in the elite of football. Don't let your career enter the dead end of what could have been. Take advantage of it. You have ten or twelve magnificent years in football. What better place to do it than at Barca? It's very cold outside."
He questioned whether Balde had lost his spark for the game, insisting his skillset remains unique across the entire Barcelona squad. Bosch added: "Flick also highlights your good form in his first year with him, and since then, has your football lost its spark? You'll know better than anyone. You haven't lost your hunger, at 22, have you? Do you think you can keep improving? There's no one like you, neither at Barça nor in La Liga, who can break lines from deep, leaving everyone in his wake with sheer speed."
Potential Weaknesses and Transfer Valuation
Despite praising Balde, Bosch identified potential weaknesses and pleaded with him not to prove doubters right. He asked: "But can you improve your decision-making on the final pass? Can you improve your positioning so that counter-attacks don't catch you so far upfield? Can you and do you want to keep progressing? Do you want to do it at Barça? The answers are in your head. Don't let your Caribbean flair lead others to believe that things just roll off your back, that they're not your thing. It seems more like a label they've slapped on you than something that reflects your ambitious nature. Don't let them be right."
Sources in Spain report that Barcelona value Balde at £30 million and are only considering a permanent sale. Signing a left-back to compete with Luke Shaw has been among United's priorities this summer, but with the September 1 deadline approaching, time is running out for Michael Carrick's side.
