Man United transfer news: Fresh Alejandro Balde boost for Michael Carrick as four-year deal 'agreed'

Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly about to receive a fresh boost in their efforts to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.

The 22-year-old represents another La Masia success story for the Blaugrana, but his future has been called into question after he fell out of favour under Hansi Flick.

Balde has featured in just one of Barcelona's eight games in all competitions this season, coming off the bench for the final 12 minutes of Barcelona's 7-2 La Liga win over Racing Santander on September 16.

The Spain international was once again an unused substitute in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Sevilla, in which Joao Cancelo was preferred on the left-hand side of defence.

Cancelo returned to Barcelona on a permanent deal from Al-Hilal this summer, and Balde has also fallen behind teenage prospect Xavi Espart Font in the left-back pecking order.

Nineteen-year-old Espart started each of Barcelona's first five games of the 2026-27 La Liga season, registering one goal and two assists in the process, and Fabrizio Romano claims that the defender is now about to sign a new deal.

Espart's current Camp Nou deal only runs until the summer of 2028, but Romano states that the 2007-born talent has agreed to stay for the next four years until the end of the 2029-30 season.

Barcelona will soon officially announce Espart's renewal, which will also come with a salary increase to reflect his standing in Flick's squad.

Espart's new contract will benefit Man United and Liverpool's chances of prising Balde away from Camp Nou, where the 22-year-old's deal is due to expire in under two years' time.

Flick recently admitted that Balde was "not happy" about his playing situation, and he stopped short of confirming that the defender would remain with the La Liga champions for the long-term.

Balde has scored three goals and set up 21 more in 169 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, but he was not called up to Spain's World Cup squad and has not appeared for his country since 2023.

Man United were the most heavily linked with Balde over the summer, as Michael Carrick sought a solution to the Red Devils' left-back issues, but the club ultimately failed to strengthen in that area.

Now, Liverpool supposedly hold a key advantage over Man United in the race for the Barcelona defender, as Andoni Iraola seeks cover and competition for Milos Kerkez and Kostas Tsimikas.

The latter's long-term future is not set in stone, while Kerkez has thus far struggled to fill Andy Robertson's boots at Anfield, although Man United can deploy all of Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu, Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Amass and Diogo Dalot at left-back.

Therefore, from a squad depth perspective, Liverpool have a greater incentive to bring Balde to the Premier League, although Man United are still in desperate need of a new established, out-and-out left-back amid Shaw's perpetual injury concerns.

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