Why Liverpool are seen to hold an edge over Man United for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde

# Background Alejandro Balde, 22, has seen his role at Barcelona reduced this season under Hansi Flick. Once a regular, he was an unused substitute for the past four La Liga matches and for Barcelona's 5-1 Champions League defeat to Feyenoord on 9 September.

# Why Barcelona might sell Balde still has a contract through summer 2028. Spanish media (Sport) link his limited minutes to a possible January move and estimate a fee near £34m, reflecting that he is not currently a first-choice for Flick.

# Liverpool's position

On the pitch Liverpool have a clear reason to consider the signing. They lost Andy Robertson over the summer and have started Milos Kerkez at left-back. Coverage says Kerkez has struggled to reach Robertson's level so far, leaving room for competition or reinforcement.

# Manchester United's position Manchester United are also linked to Balde. The club has limited long-term alternatives on the left side: Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot have been the primary options for several seasons. Shaw was substituted during the recent Manchester derby with an injury, a development that media coverage used to underline United's need for left-sided cover.

Reports suggest United may face an uphill task off the pitch. Sport frames the relationship between Manchester United and Real Madrid as strained following the summer's Marcus Rashford saga, in which Rashford ultimately remained at Old Trafford. That strain is discussed as a potential hurdle if United try to negotiate with Barcelona, particularly if clubs like Real Madrid favour dealing with Liverpool during the winter window.

# Sporting record and context

# What to watch next

• Whether Barcelona will actively market Balde in the January window and accept offers around the reported fee.
• Whether Liverpool move to convert their reported good relations into a formal bid, and how they structure any deal given existing squad needs.
• Whether Manchester United target another left-back or prioritise internal solutions given the reported off-field negotiating complications.

The situation remains a transfer-market story shaped by playing time, contractual position, and club-to-club relationships rather than confirmed offers at this stage.