Barcelona will reportedly hold crunch talks with 33-year-old defender Jordi Alba over a possible departure as a free agent in 2023.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Jordi Alba might soon leave Barcelona as a free agent. Barcelona will begin negotiations with the 33-year-old defender in January to terminate his contract in June.
Jordi Alba has enjoyed a legendary stint at Camp Nou since rejoining Barcelona over a decade ago. The veteran defender rose to prominence in professional football upon moving to Valencia from Cornella. And the Spaniard, a former member of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, has gone from strength to strength in the last ten years.
The 33-year-old has turned out nearly 450 times for Barcelona in the past decade, chipping in with 25 goals and 96 assists. A quintessential modern-day full-back, he has also been a regular for the Spanish national side for a long time. But Alba faces an uncertain future at Spotify Camp Nou after falling down the pecking order.
The veteran Spanish defender has seen his performance levels regress considerably in the last few years. And his decline has coincided with Alejandro Balde’s emergence at Spotify Camp Nou. In addition, with Marcos Alonso also in the first-team squad, Barcelona will need to take a tough decision next year.
Recent reports have claimed that Barcelona will hand Alonso a new two-year deal. And with Balde being a long-term solution at left-back, the Blaugrana will have to part ways with Alba. While the 33-year-old has shown signs of improvement in the last few weeks, Barcelona cannot keep three left-backs in the first-team squad.
So despite revealing his desire to remain at Spotify Camp Nou, Alba’s days at the Catalan club might be numbered. And the report claims that Barcelona will soon hold crunch talks with the Spaniard over a contract termination. The Blaugrana will begin negotiations in January to ensure his departure as a free agent in June.
Alba’s current contract with Barcelona runs until June 30, 2024. But Barcelona will look to take him off the books to release his wages. The Catalan giants have benefitted from Gerard Pique’s early retirement this year. And they will look to oversee a similar situation with Alba, with the 33-year-old likely departing soon.
