Manchester United lead the race to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde

Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde is facing a decisive period over his future, with three clubs having made offers for the Spain international during the summer transfer window.

Manchester United are currently considered the leading contenders to sign Balde, while two other unnamed clubs are also interested in taking the defender from Barcelona. However, no final decision has been made by the player and formal negotiations have yet to begin.

Balde’s position at Barcelona has become increasingly uncertain in recent days, with his omission from the squad for the match against Elche providing the clearest indication yet that his future at the club is under serious consideration.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Jorge Mendes, Balde’s Portuguese agent, travelled to Barcelona this week. Mendes held talks with the club’s sporting director before meeting Balde and Marc Casado to present the options available to both players.

Casado’s departure from Barcelona has been regarded as likely for some time, but the situation involving Balde has developed more recently. His absence from the Elche squad has added to the belief that the club could be prepared to listen to offers for the 21-year-old.

Barcelona still need to negotiate directly with the interested clubs before any transfer can be completed. Balde’s departure is not considered imminent, although current indications suggest that his exit could take place within the next few days.

The chances of Balde remaining at Barcelona appear limited, particularly because of the expected role of Joao Cancelo. The Portugal international is expected to become the team’s first-choice left-back, a development that could encourage Barcelona to allow Balde to leave.

If the Spain international does move on, Barcelona will need to act quickly to reorganise their defence. The club could seek to sign another left-back, or instead strengthen at centre-back, an area that has already been receiving attention from the club’s management.

There is also an internal solution available. Should Barcelona decide against recruiting a replacement at left-back, Gerard Martin could be asked to take on the role.

The club is under pressure to settle the issue before the transfer market closes, with only nine days remaining. That leaves Barcelona facing a race against time to determine the make-up of their defence and resolve whether Balde remains part of the squad.

For now, the defender has not made a final choice, and Barcelona have yet to enter formal talks with any of the clubs seeking his signature. Nevertheless, the combination of multiple offers, Manchester United’s strong position and Balde’s exclusion from the Elche squad has placed his future at the Catalan club in considerable doubt.