Barcelona have left Alejandro Balde out of their squad for their La Liga opener against Elche, as the defender seeks a move before the transfer window closes on September 1. The 22-year-old has been linked with Manchester United, who are looking for a left-back.
United prepare bid for Balde
Manchester United have reportedly held talks with Balde's agent, Jorge Mendes, and are preparing a bid of €40 million (£33m). The Red Devils are scouring the market for a left-back, with Balde identified as an option.
On Sunday, Barcelona announced their 25-man travelling squad to face Elche, and Balde was not included. Marc Casado and Hector Fort were also left out, with all three players up for sale.
Competition for places at Barcelona
Balde and Fort's chances of game time took a hit this week when Barcelona welcomed back Joao Cancelo, who can play on both the left and right-hand side of defence. Cancelo's arrival on loan in January led to a reduction in minutes for Balde, whose 2025-26 campaign was also blighted by hamstring injuries.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick hailed the 22-year-old in his pre-match press conference but is unsure whether he can compete with Cancelo. "He's a player of immense quality, and it's important to know if he's confident he can compete in his position," Flick said. "That's what I want to see from all my players. Every day I observe what they do, their level, whether they demonstrate that they're at the level to play."
Carrick hints at strengthening
Flick's comments come after Manchester United boss Michael Carrick was quizzed on the club's left-back search before they started the Premier League season with a 2-0 loss away to newly promoted Hull. "I just think we're looking to strengthen the squad," Carrick replied. "We're certainly working towards that, making the most of the situation that we have and trying to improve things and trying to move forward. You know, I said the same thing to you last time. So, yeah, certainly trying to make the most of the opportunities to finish the window stronger than we went into it. And I think we're a good way to doing that, so far."
Lewis Hall of Newcastle was United's top left-back target earlier in the window, but he is seen as unattainable this summer for a variety of reasons. Newcastle do not need to sell and have already lost three key players, while United have spent most of their budget on midfielders.
