FC Barcelona youngster and the most explosively rising player in the Blaugrana squad last season, Alejandro Balde has cemented his place in Xavi’s tactical setup by taking on the reins from the club veteran Jordi Alba.
However, Balde’s current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2024, and the Catalan club is trying its best to extend his stay at Camp Nou.
According to recent reports from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Balde have virtually finalized the terms for his renewal, and the operation is only one step away from completion. The new contract will tie the youngster to the Catalan club till 2027, while also putting a €1 billion release clause on the player.
These terms and the urgency shown by the Catalan club to renew Balde is a testament to the quick rise that the player has enjoyed in the last season, which has also led to a generation of interest from other top European clubs.
While all the parties were amenable to a contract renewal between the player and the club, the negotiations have not been as smooth and quick as could have been expected.
The player’s insistence on continuing at the club, becoming an important part of the squad, and the club’s relationship with the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, all played a part in bringing the involved parties close to an agreement.
The club and Mendes had been in negotiations for this contract renewal for several months, keeping in view that his current contract was expiring next year. The club was open to renewing him till 2028, but an agreement has been reached for a contract till 2027.
Meanwhile, the player is a part of the pre-season camp at FC Barcelona, but is training apart from the rest of the players because of his injury. He seems to be nearing a full recovery, as the club’s social media account recently showed videos of him playing with the ball.
The club would officially announce this contract renewal as soon as their financial fair play status allows them to register the player with La Liga. Once that has been done, the club and Camp Nou faithful would be relieved that they have one of the best young left-backs secure with the team for coming years.
