Atletico set to hijack Barcelona's target: How it affects Manchester United

Atletico Madrid have reportedly entered the already crowded race to sign highly rated Racing Santander left-back Jorge Salinas.

The Spanish giants are looking to bolster their defensive ranks before the September 1 transfer deadline but face stiff competition for the 19-year-old.

Racing Santander sporting director Chema Aragon has previously insisted that interested parties must pay the defender's €16 million release clause in full.

However, Atletico Madrid are reportedly reluctant to trigger that exact figure and prefer to negotiate a slightly lower overall transfer fee.

The Madrid outfit hope to leverage the player's desire to play top-flight European football to force a compromise at the negotiating table.

Atletico's arrival in the race capitalises on hesitation from Barcelona, who have long been mulling over a formal approach for the Spanish youngster.

The Catalan giants view Salinas as the perfect long-term defensive investment, but their pursuit remains entirely contingent on outgoing transfers.

Barcelona will not sanction the €16 million acquisition unless they successfully offload current starting left-back Alejandro Balde first.

This transfer triangle carries significant implications for Manchester United, who have also been directly linked with a move for Salinas this summer.

The Premier League club have actively discussed Balde internally as a premium alternative to solve their own well-documented left-back crisis.

If Atletico Madrid successfully hijack the Salinas deal, Barcelona will likely cancel Balde's proposed departure to preserve their own squad depth.

Such a scenario would leave Manchester United completely scrambling for defensive reinforcements in the final week of the summer window.