Manchester United’s hopes of signing FC Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde have been raised today as the club contend with another injury to Luke Shaw.
Spanish transfer reporter Juan Jesus claims Balde has been told to leave Barcelona this week by head coach Hansi Flick after another showdown between the pair.
Exit looks inevitable for Balde
Jesus posted on X today:
“Alejandro Balde’s departure is practically sealed following a final meeting with Hansi Flick in recent days.
“The coach has made it clear to him that, with the competition (Xavi Esprt, Cancelo), it will be very difficult for him to get consistent playing time and that, for the good of his career, the best thing is for him to start considering an exit.
“The meeting ended with a very emotional and deeply affected Balde, saddened at having to leave the club of his dreams.
“Several clubs are interested, especially Manchester United, which could make a move as early as this winter.”
☎️ La salida de Alejandro Balde está prácticamente sentenciada tras una última reunión con Hansi Flick en los últimos días.
➡️ El técnico le ha hecho ver que, con la competencia (Xavi Esprt, Cancelo.), será muy complicado para él tener continuidad y que, por el bien de su…
— Juan jesus (@Juanjesuscsap) October 16, 2026
The 12 minutes Balde has accumulated this season make his present situation an important part of the story. Whilst on the one hand it paints a picture of a player who needs to move on to get minutes, on the other hand, United would need to assess his readiness to contribute after such limited involvement.
Balde’s rise through the Barcelona ranks
Balde developed in Barcelona’s academy before progressing into the senior side. His pace and willingness to advance down the flank helped him establish a first-team role at a young age.
The defender has also represented Spain seven times at senior international level.
Balde was part of the Barcelona squad which won the La Liga title in the 2022/23 campaign.
United tried to sign Balde in the summer, but at the time Barca were only willing to let him leave on loan. Following the meeting with Flick, a permanent move in January now could finally be on the table.
At United, any prospective arrival would enter a squad already containing Shaw and other players capable of operating on the left. For January, the central question would be whether Balde could quickly regain match sharpness and provide the dependable availability the position requires.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 6/10
Why?
✅ The story has also been picked up by UK sources, e.g. teamtalk.com
✅ It's a fact that Balde has only played 12 minutes of football under Flick this season
⚠️ Juan Jesus is not a Tier 1 reporter
TPP View
We've no reason to doubt this story but caution must be exercised due to it coming from a relatively unestablished source.
| Club | Season | Apps | Minutes | Clean sheets | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | 2026/27 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC Barcelona | 2025/26 | 42 | 2806 | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| FC Barcelona | 2024/25 | 47 | 3495 | 18 | 1 | 10 |
| FC Barcelona | 2023/24 | 28 | 2000 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| FC Barcelona | 2022/23 | 44 | 3110 | 25 | 1 | 7 |
| FC Barcelona Atlètic | 2021/22 | 15 | 1154 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| FC Barcelona | 2021/22 | 7 | 207 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| FC Barcelona Atlètic | 2020/21 | 16 | 912 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| FC Barcelona UEFA U19 | 2019/20 | 4 | 274 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Featured image by Angel Martinez via Getty Images
