Alejandro Balde has decided to leave Barcelona with Manchester United making contact over a move.
United are poised to complete their midfield rebuild with Carlos Baleba set to join from Brighton in a £65million deal.
But Saturday’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Hull City showed there is still work to be done.
United eager to strengthen at left-back before the summer transfer window closes. Lewis Hall has been a top target but Newcastle United have no intention of selling the former Chelsea star with United now considering other options.
Exclusive Premier League previews
Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free.
They are now looking into a deal to sign 22-year-old Balde, holding talks with his agent Jorge Mendes on Thursday.
Balde started 21 games as Barcelona won the Spanish title last season, starting a further 10 in the Champions League and cup competitions. Hamstring and muscle issues saw him miss 10 games through injury.
The academy graduate could face more competition for a starting role next season with Joao Cancelo arriving on a free transfer. It is his third spell at the Camp Nou, initially spending the 2023-24 season on loan before returning for the second half of last season.
According to Jijantes, Balde will not continue at the Camp Nou, making the decision to leave after being left unconvinced over his future following talks with the club.
His agent Mendes is now working on finding him a new club before the summer window closes.
The development comes after Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick was quizzed on Balde’s future ahead of the club’s opening match of the season against Elche on Sunday evening.
‘He’s a player of immense quality, and it’s important to know if he’s confident he can compete in his position,’ Flick said. ‘That’s what I want to see from all my players.
‘Every day I observe what they do, their level, whether they demonstrate that they’re at the level to play.
‘Ultimately, we have to play as a team; only then will we achieve success. I need everyone to be one hundred percent.’
On the topic of incoming and going transfer business, Flick did not rule out further exits.
‘We’re making a lot of changes within the club, so we may have to wait until the transfer window closes. That’s normal,’ he said.
‘When you decide to bring in new players, you also have to consider how to strengthen the team.
‘The situation has been made very clear to the players, and now we must wait until the end of the market to see what happens.’