Manchester United signed Carlos Baleba.
The midfield rebuild is taking shape.
But Michael Carrick has one more position to address before the window closes.
And the name his recruitment team have just called about will raise eyebrows across English football.
Manchester United make contact with Alejandro Balde’s camp as Barcelona left-back emerges as shock next priority
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have held calls with the camp of Alejandro Balde over the last few days, working to understand whether an exit from Barcelona is possible and on what conditions a deal could be structured.
Romano’s update was clear and direct.
“Manchester United keep looking for new left back, next priority after Baleba deal. There have been calls with Alejandro Balde’s camp over last days to understand if exit is possible and conditions.”
The contact is exploratory rather than advanced.
But the fact that it’s happening at all says everything about how seriously Manchester United are treating the left-back position in the final stretch of the window.
The Lewis Hall pursuit ended without a deal.
David Raum was identified as an alternative.
And now, from the most unexpected of directions, Barcelona’s first-choice left-back has entered the conversation.
Balde is 21 years old.
He is a La Masia graduate who broke into Barcelona’s first team at 18 and has since established himself as one of the most dynamic young full-backs in European football.
The profile Carrick has been targeting at left-back all summer.
Barcelona don’t want to lose him.
But calls have been made.
Questions have been asked.
And in football, when a club of Manchester United’s stature starts making enquiries about your player, the conversation has to be taken seriously regardless of what you’d prefer.
Whether Barcelona engage will determine how quickly this story develops in the days that remain before the window closes.
Want to get the latest transfer news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
