Roland Cutinho
Barcelona ace Marcos Alonso wants to stay at Camp Nou this season amid links with Manchester United
Manchester United are urgently seeking left-back cover before the transfer window closes, following injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
Diogo Dalot played in that position during the win over Nottingham Forest, but the club continues to explore budget-friendly options.
They considered free agent Ryan Bertrand and loan moves for players like Marcos Alonso, Marc Cucurella, and Sergio Reguilon.
It was recently stated that United had the opportunity to sign Alonso, who previously played in the Premier League for Chelsea before joining Barcelona in 2022.
However, it now appears that Alonso is happy in La Liga and has no intention of leaving Barcelona, as revealed by ESPN (h/t the Metro). He started in Barcelona’s match against Villarreal, indicating his importance to the team.
The Spanish full-back recently signed a contract extension with Barcelona until the next summer, with a €50 million (£43 million) release clause.
There is no doubt that the 32-year-old possesses huge Premier League experience from his tenure at Chelsea. During his time there, he contributed to 29 goals in 212 games, with 25 of them coming in the league.
While he excelled as an attacking full-back for the London club, Alonso had defensive shortcomings, often getting caught out of position when going forward.
In our opinion, signing him would be a gamble for Man United. Reguilon or Cucurella would be more prudent choices than Alonso due to their better defensive awareness.
A move for Reguilon looks tricky since the Tottenham Hotspur star is also targeted by Fulham this summer, and the chance to play regularly for Marco Silva’s side could entice him.
Meanwhile, discussions have already started with Chelsea regarding a loan deal for Cucurella, but signing him would be a costly affair. In addition to a loan fee, United would have to cover his high weekly wages.
Cucurella had a challenging first season with the Blues, but he stood out during his time at Brighton, impressing with both his defensive and offensive contributions.
United might continue to face difficulties when trying to find a temporary player for the left-back position.
Erik ten Hag used Dalot in that role against Nottingham Forest, and he performed decently, but questions persist about his dependability in tougher matches, such as the upcoming one against Arsenal.
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As of now, the club will need to explore alternative options for left-back while also setting aside funds for the transfer of a new midfielder this summer.
The club management will have a busy time in the last few days of the transfer window.
