‘All I can say is…’: Romano issues update on Man Utd’s reported interest in ‘crucial’ Barcelona star

Manchester United’s long-term search for a successor to injury-plagued left-back Luke Shaw has repeatedly led them to Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde, but the Premier League giants appear to be hitting a brick wall in any bid to secure the 22-year-old.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano moved to dampen speculation on Thursday, stressing that the Blaugrana hierarchy consider Balde indispensable. “At the moment, all I can say is that Barcelona absolutely count on Balde,” Romano told YouTube viewers. “They see Balde as a crucial part of the project. They believe internally at Barca that Balde has huge potential, so he’s not the final product yet. He’s very young, and Barcelona believe that he can learn and develop a lot. At this stage, I don’t think Barcelona have any intention to let Balde go to Manchester United.”

United have monitored the La Masia graduate for more than a year, viewing him as a possible long-term replacement for Shaw, whose chronic fitness issues have restricted him to just a fraction of the club’s fixtures since his 2014 arrival. According to figures cited by Transfermarkt within the source material, the England defender has sat out 231 matches through injury, a tally that has convinced INEOS decision-makers that a fresh face at left-back may soon be required even though Shaw remains under contract until June 2027.

Shaw’s relative availability this season has coincided with United’s absence from European competition and early exits in domestic cup tournaments, prompting supporters to argue that a lighter calendar has spared the 30-year-old from his customary setbacks. A recall to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup cycle remains a target for the defender, though club officials are expected to monitor his workload with trepidation should he earn international recognition.

Balde, by contrast, has already cemented himself as a regular for Barcelona despite his youth, combining searing pace with defensive diligence to emerge as one of Europe’s most coveted full-backs. United’s recruitment staff have taken note, yet Romano’s update underlines that any approach is likely to be futile while Barcelona envisage the youngster as a cornerstone of their rebuild.

With INEOS reportedly ready to overhaul Erik ten Hag’s squad in the next two transfer windows, the search for a reliable left-back will continue, but for now Alejandro Balde appears unattainable.

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