Barcelona could sanction a major defensive sale this summer as Manchester City are linked with Alejandro Balde
Barcelona are open to selling Alejandro Balde as the club continue reshaping Hansi Flick’s squad ahead of the 2026/27 season. The Catalan giants have already completed the signing of Anthony Gordon, and further movement is expected in both directions before the window closes.
According to Marca, Manchester City are preparing a significant offer for Balde, with some claims indicating the proposal could reach as high as €70 million. City are believed to admire the left-back’s intensity, athleticism, tactical maturity, and attacking potential from wide areas.
Barcelona, however, are said to be suspicious of those figures and are not fully aware of City’s exact intentions. Internally, the player is valued closer to €50 million, and that appears to be the amount the club would be willing to accept.
Balde is under contract until June 2028, but his status has changed over the past season. Once considered an undisputed starter, the 22-year-old lost some prominence despite still making 42 appearances this past season. Overall, he has played 168 matches for Barcelona and has also earned seven caps for Spain.
The youngster’s possible exit would not completely disrupt Barcelona’s plans. The club are confident of securing Joao Cancelo, who has been on loan at Camp Nou, while Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella is also viewed as a key target if Balde leaves.
Why Manchester City could view Balde as a tactical upgrade
From a tactical perspective, Balde fits many of the qualities Enzo Maresca (expected to replace Pep Guardiola at the Etihad) usually demands from wide defenders. The Spanish international has the acceleration to dominate the flank, the recovery pace to defend large spaces, and the technical base to contribute in possession.
City’s left-back role has often required tactical flexibility rather than traditional overlapping alone. Balde could provide both width in advanced areas and aggressive counter-pressing immediately after possession losses. His ability to carry the ball through pressure would also help City progress attacks against compact blocks.
At Barcelona, Balde has sometimes looked less influential when asked to operate in more controlled positional structures. But in Maresca’s system, his athletic range and ball-carrying could become major weapons, especially when City need greater dynamism on the left side.
The risk is whether he can adapt to the Premier League club’s demanding positional discipline. Maresca’s full-backs are likely to take a leaf out of Pep Guardiola’s book and must read when to invert, when to hold width, and when to protect rest-defence structures.
A bold call but Hansi Flick should have the final say
Selling Balde would be a bold call, but Barcelona’s financial reality makes the situation understandable. At 22, he still has room to grow, and losing an academy product always carries emotional weight. However, if Flick genuinely prefers Cancelo and Cucurella-style profiles, a €50 million sale could help fund more urgent areas of the squad.