When he first emerged, Alejandro Balde was one of the biggest talents to come through La Masia. Barcelona were so impressed by his qualities that in 2023 they extended his contract until 2028, with a release clause of 450 million euros. Today, five years later, the left-back is a player Hansi Flick is counting on, and he could very easily leave Camp Nou as early as the January transfer window. According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, the club’s board believes around 40 million euros could be raised from Balde’s sale. Barca are already thinking ahead to the January transfer window and are most keen to strengthen their defence — the area that is causing them the most problems. The idea is to try to bring in two players: one centre-back and one player capable of covering several positions in the back line. To make that happen, a sale is necessary, and Balde’s name has come to the fore.Barca & Bastoni – back in the spotlightAll that remains is to see how the deal could be structured: through a permanent transfer or a loan with an obligation to buy. Balde was already close to leaving this June. Manchester United, Benfica and Milan were mentioned as interested clubs, but the full-back decided to stay at the club and wait for his chance — a chance he has not been given. He is aware that the door to the starting XI is closed to him, while numerous injuries have also slowed his career.Balde close to leaving BarcelonaThe player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has reportedly already begun exploring the market and made contact with clubs in Serie A, the Premier League and the Bundesliga. There is interest and preliminary contact has been made; now it is just a matter of waiting to see who will be the first to make an offer. For the Italian clubs, a loan is the best option, as they do not have the same financial resources as the others. Chelsea’s interest in Balde has also been known for some time. Since the start of the season, Flick has mainly used Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart at left-back. The fact that both players are right-backs says enough about how little confidence the German currently has in Balde.##NAJAVA_MECA_10077500##
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