Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde in the summer transfer window.
Alejandro Balde is highly rated across Europe, and he could prove to be an excellent long-term investment for the West Midlands club. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wants to add more quality and depth in that area of the pitch, and he has identified the Spaniard as a target.
Barcelona could sell Alejandro Balde
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Barcelona want to keep the homegrown defender at the club, but their financial situation could force them to cash in on him. The Blaugrana will be able to improve multiple areas of the squad if they sell the 22-year-old defender. The player is valued at €60 million, and it will be interesting to see if Aston Villa is willing to pay up.
The Villans will also face competition from Manchester United and Manchester City. Manchester United have already failed with a €40 million proposal to sign the player. They need a quality long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, and Balde could be an excellent investment for them.
Aston Villa could use Balde
Meanwhile, Aston Villa already have Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen at their disposal. However, Digne is 32 and will need to be replaced in the long run. So, it is no surprise that they are keen on signing the Barcelona full-back. On the other hand, Maatsen has failed to convince the manager, and he has been a squad player for Aston Villa.
The Dutchman has racked up just over 1200 minutes in the Premier League, and he is not a guaranteed starter for the West Midlands club. So, Balde would be a long-term investment for Aston Villa, and he could be the first-choice left-back at the club in the coming seasons.
As far as Manchester City’s interest is concerned, they already have Nico O’Reilly, who has been excellent for the club. Meanwhile,Rayan Ait-Nouri is a solid backup option as well. It will be unnecessary for them to invest in another left back.
So, Manchester City should look to sign a quality central defender and a right-back instead, especially with Rico Lewis failing to convince Pep Guardiola of his qualities. It remains to be seen whether Aston Villa can win the race for his signature.