In addition to winning the La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup titles, another memorable aspect of the last season for FC Barcelona was the tremendous rise of Alejandro Balde. Despite his youth, the 19-year-old was one of the most effective players for Barcelona in the last season.
The youngster took over the left-back position from Jordi Alba for good, and was a part of the Barcelona backline that played perhaps the most important part in helping the club become champions of Spain. His performances last season have also attracted interest from other major European sides.
This is apparent from the fact that Manchester City, the reigning champions of England and Europe, made an approach for him, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. However, the player himself aims to succeed at Barcelona and did not even consider the interest of the Citizens.
The report mentions that Balde’s agent, Jorge Mendes, reported the player about the interest from England, but Mendes also advised him to stay on at Barcelona because the Catalan club would provide him with the best opportunities for growth and development. Balde already has the trust of Xavi and has also been helped by the veterans present at the club.
The Spaniard wants to remain with FC Barcelona going forward, and he is already in negotiations with the Blaugranes for a contract renewal. His current contract expires next summer, and Barcelona want to extend his contract to 2028, or 2027 at the least. He still has a youth contract, and the club will register his new contract when they have a margin with FFP rules.
Balde is one of the players who is trusted the most by Xavi, as he stood seventh in the ranking of players with the most minutes in the squad. He had 3110 minutes in all competitions and started 36 games, giving six assists and scoring one goal. Thus, the fact that the player is committed to FC Barcelona is definitely good news for the Cules, and especially Xavi.