From Spain: Man Utd the only suitor for Barcelona star who’ll have to move mid-season if he wants regular minutes

Barcelona have reportedly softened their stance on letting Alejandro Balde leave after opting against doing so in the summer.

At the time, however, the full-back was also keen to stay put, as he wanted to fight for his spot under Hansi Flick.

Why Alejandro Balde might have to consider leaving Barcelona

(Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Yet, that is proving to be more difficult than Balde perhaps envisioned.

Of the seven La Liga matches Barcelona have played, the 22-year-old has featured in just one of them, making a 12-minute cameo off the bench in the closing stages of a win over Racing Santander.

Balde, who was granted 31 starts across all competitions last season even while navigating a hamstring injury, has been an unused substitute for five league games and for the Blaugrana’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord.

Manchester United retain interest in Balde

(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Alas, it comes as no surprise that the Spaniard is now being tipped for a move elsewhere when the January window rolls around.

Having first established their interest in him before 2026/2027 got underway, Mundo Deportivo claims that Manchester United are currently the only suitor sizing up an approach for Balde.

They are in desperate need of reinforcements at left-back after opting against bolstering the position before the September 1 deadline.

Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu are the only out-and-out senior left-backs in the squad, and the latter has been utilised primarily as a winger since Michael Carrick took charge.

Shaw is also notoriously United’s most injury-prone player of the last decade, and it remains to be seen if Dorgu will even be available when United return to action, given he had to withdraw from the Denmark camp with an injury over the break.

Aside from the pair, right-back Noussair Mazraoui is next in line to deputise, followed by 19-year-old Harry Amass.