Alejandro Balde’s shock decision to stay at Barcelona forces INEOS to pivot. With defensive reinforcements urgent, the Red Devils must now weigh risky moves for alternative stars.
Manchester United have had a mixed week so far. The 2-0 loss to Hull City has caused panic, drawing heavy criticism from fans and pundits alike.
However, with the Red Devils confirming the signing of Carlos Baleba and Bruno Fernandes winning the PFA Player of the Year, the mood has been lifted around the club.
Despite this, INEOS faces significant pressure to add more signings to a squad which currently does not look ready to take on the Premier League and all cup competitions.
A left-back is, by all accounts, a priority, and a backup striker could become another critical buy if Joshua Zirkzee were to leave.
Balde reveals his desire
It is understandable why Alejandro Balde has seemingly been Manchester United's number one target for the last week. The desire to sign Lewis Hall has become a pipe dream given Newcastle United's valuation, forcing United to look elsewhere.
Of the players seemingly available, Balde is undoubtedly the most experienced. When fit, he is the starting left-back at Barcelona, a Spanish international and a proven winner with three league titles at just 22.
While it looked as though Barcelona were willing to part ways with the defender after leaving him out of their matchday squad against Elche, it was uncertain as to whether Balde wanted to leave the Catalan giants.
Fabrizio Romano has provided clarity on the situation, which has given United a massive transfer blow. The journalist revealed that Balde has informed Barcelona that he wants to stay and compete for his position.
Romano also suggested that the decision is up to Barcelona, but with Balde's wishes, only a big proposal could change his mind.
Potential alternatives
While Balde is undoubtedly a brilliant footballer and missing out on him is not ideal, the one positive about missing out on him is his injury record. He has missed 70 games due to injury since 2021, and while most of the games missed came in the 21/22 and 22/23 seasons, it is far from ideal.
Given the transfer situation, with so few top-level left-backs available in the market as of late, the most promising alternatives are Antonee Robinson (29) at Fulham and David Raum (28) at RB Leipzig.
Both are experienced in their own right, with Robinson an excellent servant for Fulham despite injury concerns, having missed 25 games in the last two seasons. Whereas Raum brings the attacking option Carrick would want and could compete with Luke Shaw as a regular.
If Manchester United want a young and experienced profile, as seen with Balde and Hall, then Joaquin Seys from Club Brugge is an intriguing option. At 22, he has been a regular for the Belgian giants and is fresh off an excellent season with five goals and eight assists.
