Failing to sign a left-back was a clear blunder by Manchester United.
The events of the last few weeks have only underlined that mistake. With Michael Carrick left without a senior left-back to call upon after injuries to Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu , those setbacks have exposed the club's ill-advised summer decision in the harshest light.
Come the winter window, Ineos will have nowhere to hide if they fail to recruit a quality left-back to cover Shaw. The Old Trafford faithful will inevitably question their true intentions for this team.
That said, while United urgently need a left-back, Barcelona desperately need a centre-back.
The Catalan giants are enduring a mini defensive injury crisis and look set to move for a new central defender in January.
Reports suggest the Spanish champions have identified Lisandro Martínez as a top winter target.
The World Cup winner has been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford in 2027. His public criticism of the club's decision-makers, a series of costly errors that have hurt United this season, and the fact he is in the final year of his contract all cast doubt over his long-term future in Manchester.
United could still trigger the one-year extension in his deal and then sell him for a respectable fee.
Barcelona, however, are unlikely to pay a substantial sum given their ongoing Financial Fair Play constraints. As covered yesterday, they would only pursue the United number six if a bargain could be struck.
Meanwhile, Balde is keen to leave Camp Nou and has his sights set on England. United view the 23-year-old as an ideal candidate to strengthen their left-back options.
Yet, much like Barcelona's stance on Martínez, United are reluctant to meet a hefty asking price. They are unlikely to commit to the £40 million valuation placed on Balde's head.
With both clubs wary of spending large sums to fill their respective gaps, a winter swap deal would serve both parties perfectly.
A straight exchange of Martínez for Balde would be a genuine win-win.
Martínez's departure would not leave United exposed in central defence. On the contrary, he has been their biggest defensive liability this season, his mistakes repeatedly gifting cheap goals.
With Ayden Heaven , Leny Yoro , Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt available, the back line would remain in capable hands until the summer, when further centre-back reinforcements could arrive.
Balde, meanwhile, is no longer central to Hansi Flick's plans and is to be offloaded in the winter.
His arrival would immediately address United's biggest need, while Martínez would strengthen Barcelona where they need it most. Everyone involved would walk away satisfied.
