Man United step back from Balde move as Barcelona demand permanent deal before deadline

Manchester United have effectively ended their pursuit of Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde after talks broke down over a fundamental disagreement on transfer structure, leaving the club scrambling for defensive reinforcement before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

According to Fabrizio Romano, further discussions took place on Sunday involving both clubs and Balde’s agent Jorge Mendes, but the two parties remain far apart. United consider the deal too expensive and are pushing for a loan with an option to buy, while Barcelona’s position is a permanent transfer or nothing. The 22-year-old Spaniard is under contract at the Catalan club until 2028 and carries a price tag of around €40m (£34m).

Balde had emerged as a serious option in the final stretch of the window after Newcastle United refused to sell Lewis Hall, who remains United’s preferred target at left-back. Barcelona’s acquisition of Joao Cancelo and the emergence of Xavi Espart had encouraged United to explore the possibility of a deal, even though Barcelona were not actively looking to move Balde on. AC Milan were also reported to have assessed a move for the defender but ran into the same financial obstacle.

The urgency to sign a left-back stems from concerns over Luke Shaw’s availability across a congested schedule. Shaw played every Premier League game last season — becoming only the fifth United player to achieve that feat — but is considered unlikely to sustain that workload with the Champions League now back in the calendar.

Head coach Michael Carrick, speaking after United’s 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, acknowledged the difficulty of adding further signings so close to the deadline. “It’s always difficult to say, to be honest, when there’s so little time left,” he said. “The business that we’ve managed to do, I’m pleased with. I think we’re a better group, a better squad, potentially a better team. Adding Marcus [Rashford] into that feels like a new signing. We’re always open to if there’s something else to be able to add, so I wouldn’t shut that down, but as it stands, we’ll have to wait and see.”

With the window closing on Tuesday and the Balde route appearing closed, United face a tight race to identify and complete an alternative left-back signing before the deadline passes.