Barcelona left back Alejandro Balde looked like he was going to be the best player in the world in his position when he broke out for Xavi during the 2022/23 campaign in which a suddenly elite Blaugrana defense led them to the title over 2021/22 double winners Real Madrid.
But Balde’s play has seriously regressed in recent seasons, dropping to its lowest point this year. He is even getting benched by veteran Joao Cancelo from the Saudi Pro League, as his attacking development has been non existent.
Now, MARCA’s Matteo Moretto is reporting that Barcelona sporting director Deco no longer considers Balde unsellable. In fact, he is going to be considering selling the 22 year old left back, as Barca are now willing to listen offers from other clubs for the U23 talent.
Balde is still young and still not a bad player, but he is not meeting the standard at Barca. And unlike other teams, Barca do not care about his age and upside, because they always have other players rising through the ranks in their academy who can offer the same, if not more, potential.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.