The cases of certain players still remain open at FC Barcelona heading into the summer of 2024. While the Catalan club houses many influential and star players, some of them have not been playing up to their expected standards. For this reason, not many players remain safe at Barcelona.
Moreover, due to their financial problems, Barcelona could be forced to make uncomfortable decisions in the summer. Certain players, despite wanting to be retained by the club, would prove to be very expensive assets to sell. Among them, Alejandro Balde is a name that stands out.
Moreover, three clubs from the English Premier League are interested in his future, as per SPORT. The player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has even communicated the possibility of a mega transfer for Balde in the summer if the need arises. As of the time of writing, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City are all interested in Balde’s services.
The case of City is a rather peculiar one for Barcelona. La Blaugrana understand that they will still have to negotiate for the permanent transfer of Joao Cancelo, and City demands a substantial transfer fee. For this reason, the possibility of including players in a potential deal can not be ruled out.
As per the report, however, Chelsea remains the most insistent team. Their interest in Balde seemingly exceeds the interest from the other two clubs mentioned. However, for now, at least, Barcelona remain reluctant about selling one of their most prodigious academy products.
Balde began the season just as he ended the previous one, as an undisputed starter. However, due to a string of tame performances, the Spaniard’s place was taken over by Joao Cancelo. This allowed the youngster to get a wake-up call from Xavi, and since then has led him to produce much better displays.
Despite his resurgence in the team, and the trust that Barcelona has in him, a sale could still happen. The club is in a bad financial position, and unwanted sales could take place in the summer.
It simply remains to be seen which players actually end up being sacrificed, as there are quite a few names on the chopping block. Ideally, Barcelona would still want to retain Balde’s services.
