Alejandro Balde holds Mendes talks after Manchester United make contact

Alejandro Balde has held talks with agent Jorge Mendes over his Barcelona future after Manchester United made contact about a potential late move for the 22-year-old left-back.

United are exploring several options as they look to strengthen the left side of Michael Carrick's defence before the transfer deadline.

Balde has been on their radar for some time, and developments in Barcelona on Friday suggest his future remains open.

Spanish outlet Jijantes showed footage of Balde and Barcelona teammate Marc Casado leaving after meetings on Friday.

Both players reportedly met Mendes to discuss their respective situations at the Camp Nou.

While Casado is said to be moving closer to an exit, Balde does not currently have a transfer agreed.

However, importantly for Manchester United, no scenario has been ruled out regarding the defender's future.

That comes after reports in Spain revealed United have made contact with Mendes to establish the conditions required to sign Balde.

United's interest in the Spain international is not new.

Balde has featured on their shortlist previously, but their pursuit has become more relevant as Carrick looks to add another left-back during the closing stages of the window.

According to Sport, Manchester United contacted Mendes to ask what would be required to make a transfer happen.

Mundo Deportivo has also reported that Balde's name came up during discussions involving Mendes and Barcelona, specifically in connection with a possible move to Old Trafford.

The fact Balde then personally met Mendes on Friday adds another interesting development.

There is no confirmation that United's proposal was specifically discussed during that meeting, but given the timing and the recent contact, the possibility is clearly in the background.

Balde is not the only player Manchester United are considering for the position.

United have been exploring several possibilities as they look to provide Carrick with another option on the left side of his defence before the window closes.

For now, there is no agreement with Barcelona or Balde, and the transfer remains at an exploratory stage.

What has changed is that United have established contact with Mendes while Balde himself is actively discussing his future with the influential agent.

With the deadline approaching, those conversations could quickly become more significant.

Manchester United must now decide whether to turn their initial contact into formal negotiations with Barcelona. Balde's future remains unresolved, but his meeting with Mendes means the situation is worth watching closely during the final days of the window.

Should Manchester United make Alejandro Balde their priority signing at left-back?