Man Utd ‘Discuss’ Surprise Alternative As Alejandro Balde Price Set
Manchester United’s pursuit of a new left back has come to a crossroads. While Alejandro Balde has emerged as more of a concrete option in recent days, the Red Devils are also reportedly discussing a surprise bid for teenage prospect Jorge Salinas from Racing Santander.
Making judgements off any single performance is dangerous, let alone a fixture as volatile as the opening day of a new season. However, United’s dismal defeat to Hull City on Saturday exposed an issue which has been a concern all summer: left back.
Sergej Jakirović actively targeted the space Luke Shaw vacated at fullback, which is more of a structural issue rather than an attack on the individual—Wayne Rooney had plenty of time for that with his “schoolboy” swipe at the defender.
Putting aside Shaw’s performance levels, which have largely been encouraging over the past 12 months, United are in the market for an option to help share an expanded workload with the injury prone 31-year-old. Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall has been categorically ruled out but there are alternatives for Michael Carrick to consider.
3. Wait 12 Months
United’s midfield rebuild is complete. / Visionhaus/Getty Images
This could be the most feasible if least appealing scenario. In their quest to no longer be the “dumb money” in the room, United have adopted a targeted approach to recruitment in recent years. Last summer’s window was hyper focused on rebuilding the frontline—and it worked. This year’s spend has been centralized on central midfielders, the fruits of which are yet to bloom.
Given restrictions on spending and the prices being bandied around for the few candidates United could conceivably consider, Sky Sports News report that the Red Devils are “willing” to wait until next summer before turning their attention to a backline rebuild. This would be a huge gamble.
That Shaw was able to start all 38 Premier League games last season was a minor miracle. Throw in an extra eight in the Champions League plus a pair of deeper domestic cup runs and the risk of the fullback’s body breaking down sky rockets. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are serviceable if not secure stop-gaps to plug that hole in Shaw’s absence, but surely there’s room in the budget for a new recruit.
2. Jorge Salinas
Jorge Salinas is an interesting option. / Gokhan Taner/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
United’s unexpected interest in Salinas has been floated by The Athletic. The 19-year-old came through his boyhood club’s academy to have a breakthrough campaign last term, featuring heavily for a Racing side which won promotion back to Spain’s top flight.
Despite briefly moonlighting at center back, Salinas racked up seven assists last season, the most of any defender in the Spanish second tier.
Atlético Madrid have also been linked with a player who boasts a $18.7 million (£13.7 million, €16 million) release clause. It remains to be seen if United could negotiate that price down, considering Salinas’s top-flight experience amounts to just two appearances this month.
1. Alejandro Balde Loan
Alejandro Balde could tick the box for a left back. / Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Balde is the obvious option. Despite falling behind João Cancelo in Barcelona’s pecking order, this is still a player who has been the most regularly selected fullback for the champions of Spain in three of the last four seasons. The one time Balde failed to appear in more than half of Barcelona’s La Liga fixtures, they finished second to Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old has the physical profile to compete in the demanding setting of the Premier League. Balde was so fast as a child his classmates had to be given a head start during races yet he still claimed gold. That jet-heeled edge could be brought to a wing which already includes Marcus Rashford, his former Barcelona teammate from just a few months ago.
The issue for United appears to be price. The Times report that Barcelona value Balde at $47.7 million (£35 million), while the Red Devils are only interested in a loan. That would not only save some cash, but allow United to go back in for Hall, the club’s clear first-choice target, next summer.
Flick has already publicly admonished Balde and made it clear that the team can function perfectly well without him, with Xavi Espart providing cover for Cancelo.
