Manchester United are weighing up a move for a new left-back before the transfer window closes, with Barcelona's Alejandro Balde and Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu the two main targets. United have already completed a midfield rebuild with the arrivals of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba, and now attention has turned to the defence.
United's left-back search
Luke Shaw played in every Premier League game last season, but with more fixtures this year and Shaw approaching the latter stages of his career, United are looking to the future. Newcastle's Lewis Hall is a long-term target, but he is unlikely to leave St James' Park before Tuesday's deadline. United are expected to renew their interest in Hall next year.
Barcelona want £30m for Balde and are not interested in a loan deal. Kadioglu is also reportedly liked by those at Old Trafford. MEN Sport has compared the two defenders to see who United should sign.
Statistics compared
Kadioglu played 3,134 minutes in the Premier League last season compared to Balde's 1,878 in La Liga, according to Who Scored. Balde missed ten Barcelona matches through injury, while Kadioglu did not miss any Brighton games.
Defensively, Kadioglu averaged 0.7 interceptions per match to Balde's 0.2, and 2.2 clearances per game to Balde's 0.9. Balde was dribbled past less often (0.3 to 1) and caught opponents offside more (0.7 to 0.1) per 90 minutes.
Offensively, Balde registered two assists in the league last season while Kadioglu managed none. Balde also led on key passes (0.8 to 0.6) and dribbles past opponents (0.8 to 0.3). Kadioglu averaged more shots per game (0.8 to 0.4).
Balde's passing statistics were better, averaging more passes (42.6 to 36.9) and a higher pass accuracy (91.8 per cent to 85.6 per cent). However, he was playing in a side that dominated the ball. Kadioglu managed more crosses per game (0.6 to 0.2) and attempted more long balls (1.2 to 0.5).
DataMB's information shows Balde excels in carrying the ball and expected assists, but Kadioglu appears more well-rounded.
What the coaches say
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said of Balde: "He's part of the squad. Whether he plays or not, we'll decide that tomorrow. I've spoken to him; it's important that he's committed to us. He's very young and has a lot of potential. He's improved, but he can improve further. He carries the Barca colours in his heart. His job is to improve. He has to be 100 per cent committed to professional football and give his all for Barca."
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has spoken positively about Kadioglu. Earlier this year, he said: "No, we're not working on that, and we don't want to work on that because it means something bad has happened before it. He came back after a long injury, and that's not easy. He seems to be very resilient. His performances have been strong, and we are very happy - it's like having a new signing. We're pleased that he keeps improving and performing at this level."
Verdict
Balde is a risk at this stage of the window. Flick's comments suggest he is enjoying life at Barcelona, but he may feel he will gain more opportunities at a club like United. There is every chance the 22-year-old could be persuaded to stay in Catalonia, and if United go all in for him, they could end up empty-handed.
Kadioglu is four years older and seems more complete. Statistically, Balde led in several important areas, but he was not head and shoulders above the Turkey international. Balde should be dominating attacking stats when Barcelona dominate more games than Brighton.
For that reason, the safe bet would be to move for Kadioglu, who is more likely to join United and is more well-rounded. But there is a good chance Balde will become an excellent player in the future, and his potential is clear for all to see.
