Manchester United are in the market for a new left-back, with Alejandro Balde emerging as a serious target.

Manchester United have already put an offer on the table for Alejandro Balde, with the full-back being pushed towards the exit at Barcelona.

Balde was omitted from Hansi Flick's matchday squad at the weekend, and with Manchester United looking for an upgrade at left-back, he has regularly been mentioned as a long-term answer in that position.

After Barcelona re-signed Joao Cancelo in the summer and with Flick also preferring Gerard Martin in Balde's role, the 22-year-old is weighing up his future before the transfer window shuts.

According to a Cadena Ser report, Balde is unsure about his immediate future at Camp Nou, and manager Hansi Flick “has not clearly defined his role for the current season.”

Balde has a “firm proposal” from Manchester United, but he has not been formally told to leave Catalonia, even though Flick recently insisted that he “expects more commitment, more competitiveness, and more intensity” from the defender.

Michael Carrick's side were beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City on Saturday in one of the weekend's biggest shocks, with long-serving left-back Luke Shaw attracting heavy criticism.

Red Devils legend Gary Neville – ranked at no.48 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Premier League players of all time – analysed Shaw's display on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, saying that although Shaw has plenty of experience, he had “no idea what [he was] doing” for the goal.

31-year-old Shaw is now in his 13th season as a Manchester United player, with last season being the first time he appeared in every league game of the campaign.

United have been linked with a younger option in the shape of Joaquin Seys, Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly – although the latter two are not for sale – and while Balde has been a long-term target, he is unlikely to leave Barcelona in the coming days unless he is directly told that he has no future there.

FourFourTwo understands that Barça are also looking to move two more La Masia graduates out of the club in Hector Fort and Marc Casado, with both players having attracted Premier League interest at one stage.

Considered one of Barcelona's most exciting young players after breaking through in 2021, Balde made his debut for his hometown club at 18, earned his international debut a year later, and signed a long-term contract with Barcelona in 2023 featuring a one-billion-euro release clause, underlining his rise as one of the most exciting young defenders in world football.

A hamstring injury in 2024 slowed that progress to some extent, however, and despite a surprise call-up to the 2022 World Cup, the left-back was left out of Spain's victorious Euro 2024 and 2026 World Cup squads.

According to Transfermarkt, Balde is valued at €50 million. United host Ipswich Town when Premier League action resumes this weekend.