Manchester United join Chelsea in the race to sign 20-year-old La Liga defender
Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly keen on the Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.
The 20-year-old has a contract with the Spanish club until 2028 and he has been an important first-team player for Xavi Hernandez.
According to Fichajes, the two Premier League clubs have joined an intense battle to sign the defender and it remains to be seen whether Barcelona are prepared to let him leave.
The report states that Barcelona are not considering his departure any time soon and it will be interesting to see how the situation develops.
Manchester United have been without Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia for a while now and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they decided to invest in another left-back. Balde could prove to be a quality, long-term addition to the Premier League side.
The 20-year-old certainly has the potential to succeed in English football and Erik ten Hag could nurture him into a quality defender.
As for Chelsea, Ian Maatsen has been linked with a move away from the club and Marc Cucurella has not been able to live up to the expectations since his big-money move from Brighton and Hove Albion. That leaves Ben Chilwell as the only reliable left-back at the club. The former Leicester City defender has had his fair share of injury problems.
Balde would be a quality investment for both English clubs and regular football in the Premier League could accelerate the 20-year-old’s development. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona are prepared to let go of their prized young prospect.
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