Chelsea is reportedly prepared to make a £43 million bid for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United. According to Spanish publication Nacional (via Football 365), Chelsea has been the quickest to pursue the coveted Spain international.
Balde, who has risen as one of Europe’s most promising young left-backs in recent years, has seen a dip in form this season. His campaign came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a tendon rupture in January, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino holds great admiration for the 20-year-old, making Balde the club’s primary target for the left-back position in the upcoming transfer window.
The Blues are keen on reinforcing their left-back position due to the injury woes of vice-captain Ben Chilwell, who has been sidelined for 19 games this season and a total of 89 games since joining Stamford Bridge in 2020.
Despite Marc Cucurella’s arrival from Brighton for £62 million, he has failed to live up to expectations at Chelsea, accumulating just 1154 minutes of first-team action this season. Chelsea also has Ian Maatsen as a left-back option, currently on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
Balde’s potential has also caught the eye of Manchester United, with part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe expressing admiration for the Barcelona prodigy. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool are reportedly keeping tabs on Balde’s situation at Camp Nou.
The Manchester United target has contributed one goal and one assist in 28 appearances for Barcelona this season, while also aiding in nine clean sheets. He boasts 79 appearances for the Blaugrana and has earned seven caps for the Spanish national team.
In a separate development, Manchester United has reportedly entered the race to secure the services of Brentford attacker Ivan Toney. The 28-year-old, who recently returned from an eight-month ban for breaching betting regulations, has attracted interest from Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur. Toney has impressed with four goals in 10 appearances since his return to the first team, establishing himself as a prolific center forward in the Premier League with 36 goals in 76 appearances for Brentford.
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