Overview
- Barcelona left Alejandro Balde out of the matchday squad and Hansi Flick said he was not “100 per cent” focused, a development reported on Sunday that the club and coach framed as making the player available for a move.
- Manchester United have opened talks about Balde and are understood to prefer a loan with an option to buy, while Barcelona insist on a permanent sale so they can bank immediate transfer income.
- Reports place United’s interest at around €40m and show agent Jorge Mendes active in negotiations to bridge the clubs’ disagreement over deal structure.
- Barca are simultaneously preparing multiple exits of academy and young players — including Marc Casado and Hector Fort — to raise roughly €100m to fund priority signings such as a striker and defensive reinforcements.
- The dispute over Balde’s transfer model highlights a wider late‑window pattern: clubs are rushing linked deals and conditional moves as the September 1 deadline approaches, and the outcome will determine immediate squad balance and playing time for the player.