Barcelona have reportedly given up on Marcos Alonso of Chelsea. The La Liga Giants have decided to trust Alejandro Balde of the B team. The Catalans have decided to have Alba and Balde as the 2 left backs for the season. Marcos Alonso had agreed on personal terms with the club since 3 months and was just awaiting confirmation between clubs. But something in the last few weeks changed which made Xavi reconsider his options. He decided to have Alba as the first choice and gradually get Balde into the team.
But replacing Jordi Alba is one of the main things in the mind of the club. Alba is 32 and aging fast. His game also shows weaknesses on the defensive side that has cost Barcelona big games. It is no doubt that offensively, Alba is one of the best left-backs in world football. He was the only defender last season to get assists in double digits. But the club knows they have to replace him sooner or later. The club have identified Javi Galan of Celta Vigo as Alba’s replacement.
Celta Vigo are willing to let Galan leave for around €13 million. The 27-year-old joined Cellta from Huesca last summer. He gradually became one of the best left-backs in the League. Galan’s performances got the interest of Barcelona who were interested in him last summer also. His current contract runs out in 2026 having a release clause of €18 million. But reports say Celta will be ready to negotiate with an offer lower than this. Galan has revealed in recent interviews that he loves Barcelona and maybe can move there in the future.
Departures at Barcelona still to take place
The transfer window is not over for the Catalans. Barcelona are still working on departures. The likes of Martin Braithwaite, Aubameyang, Depay, and Dest have been in the news recently a lot. Depay’s move to Juventus broke down at the last stages. Aubameyang to Chelsea is still being discussed by the 2 clubs. Dest is no longer a part of Xavi’s preferred squad and might just depart this season.
A right-back signing is what Barcelona are prioritizing now. Xavi wants a good ball-playing left-back who can provide offensive support. Juan Foyth from Villareal is one of the options out in the market. Hamari Traore from Rennes is also being discussed as a potential option at right back.
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