Manchester United are making a late push to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde on deadline day, having previously stepped back from a move for the defender.

The renewed interest comes after United completed a significant midfield rebuild over the summer, bringing in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba. With the centre of the pitch reinforced, the club’s focus in the final days of the window has shifted to adding another left-back and, potentially, a striker for head coach Michael Carrick.

Luke Shaw played every Premier League game last season and remains first choice, but United are intent on deepening competition on the left side of defence and identifying a long-term successor for the England international as the club plans beyond the current campaign.

Switch from Hall to Balde as United target depth in defence

United had initially explored a move for Newcastle United’s highly rated Lewis Hall, only to find the Tyneside club unwilling to negotiate. With talks failing to progress, recruitment efforts were redirected towards Barcelona’s Balde.

The left-back was an unused substitute in Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Monday night and has been heavily linked with a Camp Nou exit after slipping down the pecking order under head coach Hansi Flick.

Barcelona are open to offloading the player but have been holding out for a permanent transfer in the region of €40million (£34m). That valuation has been a key stumbling block for United, who are prioritising a loan arrangement to manage both risk and squad balance under current spending constraints in elite European football.

United’s late push is framed by the structure of the European transfer system, in which the summer registration period is regulated by domestic leagues and overseen by frameworks set out by FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. The 11pm deadline gives United limited scope to reconfigure their options if talks do not move quickly.

Romero claim highlights renewed effort to land Balde

Spanish reporter Gerard Romero has stated that United have “reignited their interest in recent hours” in an effort to convince Balde to make the switch to Old Trafford before the 11pm cut-off, with the information shared via the X account of Jigantes FC.

Up to this point, the Spanish full-back has opted to stay in Barcelona and fight for his place under Flick. However, his lack of game time raises the prospect that the final hours of the window could alter his stance if a clearer pathway to minutes is presented elsewhere.

Any agreement at this stage is still described as unlikely, reflecting the challenge of aligning the player’s ambitions, Barcelona’s preference for a permanent sale and United’s interest in a loan solution.

From a squad-building perspective, United’s determination to keep the option alive underlines the strategic importance of left-back depth. Adding Balde would not only ease the physical workload on Shaw across domestic and European commitments but could also shape medium-term selection decisions as the club seeks greater tactical flexibility in wide defensive areas.

What Balde’s arrival would mean for Carrick’s plans

Should United manage to push a deal over the line, Carrick would gain a naturally attack-minded left-back who could alter the dynamics of United’s build-up play and pressing structure.

In practical terms, a successful move would allow the coaching staff to:

• Manage Shaw’s minutes across league and cup competitions more carefully
• Maintain a high-intensity approach on the flanks without over-reliance on a single player
• Shape succession planning at left-back rather than delaying a long-term decision by another season

Conversely, if no agreement is reached, United may enter the season reliant on Shaw and internal cover options, leaving little margin for injury or suspension in a position that is increasingly central to how top clubs construct attacks from the back.

United also in talks for Leicester teenager Louis Page

While work continues on left-back, United are simultaneously trying to finalise a deal for Leicester City prospect Louis Page.

The two clubs are in discussions over an agreement that would see the 18-year-old midfielder move to Old Trafford, with the expectation that he would then return to the King Power Stadium on a season-long loan. Under that structure, Page would continue his development with regular senior football before joining United’s first-team group next summer.

The proposed fee for Page is expected to be in excess of £10m if a deal is completed. There is, however, a clear time pressure, with Leicester scheduled to face Plymouth in a League One fixture on Tuesday evening and both clubs needing clarity over the player’s immediate availability.

Long-term squad planning behind United’s late-window activity

United’s twin pursuit of Balde and Page illustrates a broader strategy of layering short-term reinforcements on top of longer-term recruitment.

Balde would address an immediate structural need in defence, particularly in a league as physically demanding as the Premier League, where fixture congestion can expose weaknesses in depth. Page, by contrast, would be integrated on a delayed basis, allowing United to stagger development timelines in midfield while Leicester retain a player already embedded in their system.

In both cases, the deals sit within a regulatory environment where transfer fees, loan structures and player registration must satisfy domestic competition rules and the overarching framework set by international and national governing bodies. For United, the closing hours of the window offer a final opportunity to reconcile those constraints with the tactical and positional profile their staff have identified for the season ahead.

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