Barcelona defender likely playing his final season at the club

Last season, Barcelona had substantial depth at left-back. With Alejandro Balde, Jordi Alba, and Marcos Alonso competing for the starting spot in defence, there appeared to be no cracks in the department.

Jordi Alba is no longer a Barcelona player, leaving Xavi Hernandez with only two natural left-backs this season.

According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, he could be left with just one next summer.

Alonso’s last dance

According to reports from the Spanish outlet, Marcos Alonso could be playing his final season at Barcelona.

The Spaniard joined the club during the summer of 2022 from Chelsea and was someone that Xavi relied on quite a fair bit last season, be it as a left-back or centre-back.

The veteran defender’s contract with the Catalans runs out next summer, and the club administration has no intention of renewing his deal.

The 32-year-old has played just four La Liga games for the club this season and averages just 40 minutes per outing in those appearances.

With the club looking to strengthen other avenues, he is seen as an asset worth sacrificing.

Xavi has options

As revealed earlier today, Xavi Hernandez is considering utilising Joao Cancelo as a left-back if need be.

After all, the Portuguese star is not new to the position and has played on the left side of defence for Manchester City.

Another option that stands out for the manager is young Alex Valle. The La Masia starlet is currently on loan at Levante but featured in pre-season for Barcelona in the United States of America.

He has already made nine La Liga appearances for the Segunda-based team where he averages close to one key pass per game.

With Balde well-positioned as the starting option, he will have his time to gradually integrate into the first team. If the aforementioned options do not suffice for the manager’s plans, entering the transfer market cannot be ruled out.