Teamwork makes the dream work

Barcelona add home-grown star to listing of gamers obtainable for switch

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Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde will not be among the many group of gamers the membership considers “non-transferable” as they proceed to work by way of monetary restraints.

As has been the case for a lot of summers, Barcelona’s capability to recruit is straight tied to how a lot area they will create on the wage invoice and the way a lot money is raised by way of participant gross sales.

Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo are the excessive profiles participant as soon as once more linked with strikes away. Raphinha, solely signed in 2022, is one other who may guess let go for the higher good. Robert Lewandowski is just too given how a lot he stands to earn in 2024/25 – a reported €31m.

Just about everybody may very well be obtainable for the fitting worth. However AS experiences there’s a core group of younger, largely home-grown, gamers who will not be on the market. They’re Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi and Fermin Lopez, all La Masia graduates other than Pedri.

Alejandro Balde

Alejandro Balde signed a brand new contract in September / Ion Alcoba Beitia/GettyImages

Balde is youthful than each Pedri and Lopez and has been an necessary a part of the staff since turning into a everlasting member of the first-team squad forward of 2022/23.

The 20-year-old signed a brand new long-term contract a month into this season till 2028, full with the identical €1bn launch clause reserved for Barcelona’s prime expertise. He was beginning just about each recreation throughout all competitions till a extreme hamstring harm ended his season in January.

Balde’s enforced absence noticed Joao Cancelo fill in on the left, pushing Jules Kounde out of the centre and again to the fitting. The void that created handed an unlikely alternative to the aforementioned Cubarsi, who has grabbed it with each fingers regardless of solely turning 17 in January.

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