Ten Hag could land the next Ansu Fati as Man Utd eye swoop for £13m-rated «wonderkid»
Manchester United are interested in a deal to bring Alejandro Balde to Old Trafford.
That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite Barcelona being in talks with the left-back regarding the extension of his current deal at the Camp Nou – which is set to expire in the summer of 2024 – the 19-year-old could be tempted by a move away due to the Catalan club’s ongoing financial difficulties.
The report adds that the defender’s contract situation could possibly open the door to a move for the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain – with both the Premier League and Ligue 1 giants believed to be keeping a close eye on the Spain international.
Indeed, Mundo Deportivo claim that United could ‘tempt’ Balde with ‘succulent offers’ should Barca be unable to offer the teenager a suitable deal. It is also suggested that the full-back has admitted that he ‘would like to play’ for the Red Devils one day – something which could worry Barcelona in their negotiations.
Considering just how exciting a prospect Balde very much appears to be, it is not difficult to understand why Erik ten Hag would be interested in a deal to bring the left-back to Old Trafford were the opportunity to arise.
Indeed, over his 12 La Liga appearances so far this season, the £13m-rated talent has been in scintillating defensive form, having helped Barca to keep six clean sheets, in addition to making 1.4 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 0.4 clearances and winning 3.7 duels (at a success rate of 57%) per game.
The £2.7k-per-week sensation has also impressed going forwards, having already registered three assists and created three big chances for his team-mates, along with making 0.7 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 45.8 passes (92% success rate) per match.
These returns have seen the “wonderkid” – in the words of Ibukun Aluko – average a very impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.07, currently ranking the teenager as Xavi’s 11th-best performer in La Liga – a rather remarkable feat considering his tender age.
Furthermore, as a result of Balde’s explosive, dynamic and attack-minded style of play at left-back, it is easy to see why the youngster has already earned comparisons to the likes of Bayern Munich‘s Alphonso Davies and Juventus‘ Alex Sandro. Meanwhile, Sport previously dubbed the defender as Barcelona’s ‘other Ansu Fati’, a reference to the 20-year-old who is currently valued at £43m.
As such, not only could a United swoop for Balde sort out the Red Devils’ left-back berth for many a year to come, it could also see the club discover a talent with a comparative ability to Fati. That is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with Manchester United.
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That’d be right
So they're about to land some overrated guy who hasn't done anything