Barcelona are reportedly contemplating the sale of La Masia graduate Alejandro Balde this summer to help aid the club's persistent financial challenges.
The club's ongoing need to manage its wage bill and generate revenue through player sales has been a recurring theme in recent summers.
While a small, core group of young, mostly home-grown players remains off-limits in terms of being moved on, the vast majority of the team's roster could be sold for the right price.
Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi and Fermin Lopez are considered non-transferable, while high-profile names including Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski have been linked with potential moves away from Camp Nou.
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Barca to consider selling Balde to help improve club finances
Barcelona's financial woes mean they are now willing to listen to offers for the 20-year-old defender, even though he signed a long-term contract extension until 2028 just a month into this season.
Diario AS reports that the club would accept a suitable offer for Balde, as it would result in 'pure profit' owing to the player being an academy graduate.
The report adds that Blaugrana have already turned down an offer for the left-back, who is believed to have a staggering £85m release clause attached to his name.
However, selling Balde would leave Barcelona with a shortage of left-back options, especially with Marcos Alonso expected to depart when his contract expires and Joao Cancelo's future at the club remaining uncertain.
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Balde sale could leave Barcelona short in defence
Therefore, while a significant sale would greatly aid the club's finances, it would also necessitate reinvestment in the left-back position.
Alex Valle is set to return from a loan spell with Levante, but he is likely to be a backup option if included in the senior squad next year.
Balde was a regular starter for the La Liga giants across all competitions until a severe hamstring injury sidelined him in January. In his absence, Cancelo has filled in on the left, pushing Jules Kounde back to the right.
As a result, this shift in the backline has created an opportunity for 17-year-old Cubarsi, who has impressed since stepping up to the senior side.
Barcelona are set to end the 2023-24 season as runners-up to Real Madrid in La Liga and will face Sevilla in their final match of the campaign on Sunday evening at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Devesh Jaganath
