Alejandro Balde Staying at Barcelona—How He Can Rescue Camp Nou Career
The summer transfer window is over and despite intense speculation and reported interest, Alejandro Balde will continue at Barcelona for the time being. But his Blaugrana future hangs in the balance.
It seems like only yesterday that the Masia graduate burst into the scene as a teenager and essentially ended the Jordi Alba era at Barcelona, taking over from the legendary left back. He looked destined to patrol that side of the field for a generation.
Balde has amassed 168 appearances for Barcelona before his 23rd birthday, but his position at the club has never been more precarious. The speedy defender has fallen down the pecking order and Hansi Flick even questioned his commitment to the club when he left him out of the squad for the opening game of the season against Elche last month.
This time last year, Balde was coming off his best season as a professional and was a lock in Flick’s XI. Now, he’s third choice at the position, behind two players who aren’t even natural left backs, and Barcelona were more than willing to facilitate his exit until the final hours of the transfer window.
Balde’s rapid fall from grace is spectacular, but there’s reason for the recent downfall.
Alejandro Balde’s Disastrous 2025–26 Season
Alejandro Balde had a nightmare second season under Hansi Flick. / Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/Getty Images
Apart from dancing alongside Lamine Yamal in celebration, you’d be pressed to find any memorable moments or highlights from Balde’s 2025–26 season. It’s not that he simply struggled, it’s that he clearly regressed.
He’s always been a ground-covering left back that operates more as a wingback than as a traditional fullback, often tasked with providing width which allowed Raphinha to drift centrally in Flick’s system. However, he was ineffective in attack in 2025–26. When defenders blocked his ability to reach the byline, Balde was contained. When he did get in position to cross, his deliveries were poor more often than not.
Defense has never been his best attribute and that was only further evidenced last season. Balde was careless in his marking, a step too late to intervene and, most significantly, routinely caught out of position in transitions—the latter being a major flaw in Flick’s overall system.
Muscular injuries have been a problem for Balde throughout his career and 2025–26 was no different. He missed a month early in the term and his drop in form became obvious once he returned. By the time he suffered another injury and was sidelined for another month in March, João Cancelo had already usurped the starting left-back role and he wouldn’t give it back for the rest of the term.
Since before the season ended it looked like Balde had become expendable in the eyes of Flick and Barcelona could’ve benefited from his sale.
Barcelona Were Too Late in Attempt to Sell Balde
Hansi Flick rates other options higher than Alejandro Balde. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images
Although Barcelona have been open to selling Balde since the start of the window, the player seemingly was keen on staying put and the Catalans weren’t actively pushing him out or shopping him to potential suitors.
Balde’s potential exit didn’t start developing until deep into August, when interest from Manchester United surfaced at the same time as Balde’s demotion to third-choice left back became obvious, which resulted in Flick’s comments after he left the defender out of the squad against Elche.
But Manchester United were only interested in a loan deal for Balde, unwilling to spend big at the position with their sights set on Lewis Hall as a long-term solution instead. Barcelona, on the other hand, were only interested in letting Balde leave on a permanent transfer.
Recently, SPORT reported that Barcelona were exploring a deal that would’ve sent Balde to Inter, with Federico Dimarco coming the other way. However, nothing ever came of the rumored swap.
Barcelona only truly worked towards selling Balde until the final days of the window and by that point there was little interest. Now, the out-of-favor left back will remain at the club for at least another four months until there will be opportunity to leave in January.
Competition for Balde Gets Tougher
Xavi Espart has impressed at left back early in the season. / Eric Alonso/Getty Images
The one situation which reportedly made Balde consider altering his stance and leaving the club was that Cancelo was no longer the only player ahead of him in the left-back depth chart.
Xavi Espart has been sensational in the opening three games of the season operating away from his natural right-back position and slotting in seamlessly on the left. The homegrown fullback is the latest member of the club’s revered 2007 generation to break into the senior team, following in the footsteps of Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Marc Bernal.
The teenager has experience as a midfielder and Flick has allowed him to invert inside during the opening games of the season, adapting flawlessly to the new role. Cancelo is expected to enter the XI once he’s back to full fitness, but Espart is making an early case to keep his spot in the lineup.
Relegated from the conversation is Balde, who a year after having only Gerard Martín as competition at the position, is now behind two players that boast superior form and, more importantly, versatility.
As things stand, Balde’s path to playing time looks incredibly limited. Drastic improvement is necessary to return to Flick’s good graces and be in contention for minutes at left back.
How Balde Can Fight His Way Back Into Barça’s Plans
It’s a make-or-break year for Alejandro Balde’s future. / Alex Caparros/Getty Images
The only way back for Balde at Barcelona is to make the most of every opportunity he is given and it starts with training. His commitment to the club must be absolute, not least because it has already been questioned. Currently, the only way of proving that is in training.
Whenever he finally gets a chance to make his season debut, he’ll have to instantly deliver. Failing to perform at the level he did during 2024–25 and instead looking like his uninspiring 2025–26 version could be the final nail in the coffin of his Barça career.
Balde has the talent and the physical tools to be one of the best left backs in the world at the peak of his powers, the problem is that he’s failed to showcase that form consistently for over a year. It’s imperative for him to leave behind the noise regarding his future and work on mending his relationship with Flick, the only way to do it is impressing on the pitch.
There’s examples he can try to replicate. Eric García was an afterthought during the infancy of the Flick era and now he’s one of the first names in the XI. Martín himself wasn’t registered to play in La Liga when last season started, now he’s an established starter in the center of defense.
It’s the most difficult moment of Balde’s career, it’s now or never for one of the best La Masia products of the decade to respond in the face of adversity.
With a contract valid until 2028, if Balde fails to overturn his current situation and remains stuck in the bench, his days at Barcelona are numbered. An exit from the club next summer—if not earlier— would be all but guaranteed.
