5
Barcelona are unexpectedly becoming more open to the sale of Manchester United target, Alejandro Balde, due to financial reasons.
The Catalan club famously have major economic problems and debts of over €1.2bn.
The 20 year old is one of the many young Masia products that have broken through at the club over the last two or three years and he has impressed Europe with his positive displays.
The youngster already has seven caps for Spain and he has represented his club side 28 times this campaign, scoring a goal and creating another.
The Spanish club would love to keep the defender but economic pressures mean that they may have to face the fact that the player is available for the right price, which opens the door for Premier League sides like United and Manchester City.
Spanish outlet Fichajes report that Balde is “the unexpected defensive sale that is looming at Barcelona this summer” and that “the player could be one of the assets with which the club would seek to make a big profit from this summer”.
“The doubts about Balde’s future in the Barça team have made the Spanish full-back a more than interesting option for top-level European teams such as Manchester City or Manchester United”.
The reasoning behind the potential shock sale is while “he has always been considered one of the great jewels of the Barcelona youth academy, his great market value, the existence of future players like Héctor Fort and the possibility of coupling players like Cancelo in that position mean that the player is not so essential”.
The youngster has already spoken of his admiration for the Red Devils and claimed that they are his favourite club after Barcelona.
Conveniently, if the La Liga champions do decide to sell off the starlet, the Old Trafford are in desperate need of strengthening their left back situation.
Fabrizio Romano has commented that United are definitely looking to bring in a left back this summer and The Peoples Person has already relayed news that the club are fans of defenders Miguel Gutiérrez at Girona and Rayan Aït-Nouri at Wolves.
The desperation stems from the fact that first choice left back, Luke Shaw, has only been available to play 15 matches this season and back-up Tyrell Malacia, has been injured all season. As a result, United have had the less than ideal solution of making Victor Lindelof and Sofyan Amrabat take turns to fill in. Unsurprisingly, the results have not been positive.
Were Balde to truly be available on the market, combined with the positive feelings he claims to have for the club, it would seem a no-brainer for United to make a move for the sought-after full back.