Barcelona president promises Premier League left-back he will be signed before window closes

As reported by Diario AS, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has assured Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso that he will be signed by the Catalan club before the summer transfer window closes.

Alonso and Barça have been in negotiations for months over a move now, with the Spaniard even agreeing personal terms with the La Liga giants over a move.

Having been frozen out at Chelsea, the 31-year-old has been patiently waiting for the Blaugrana to strike an agreement and get the deal over the line.

However, there have been doubts over the transfer happening due to Barcelona tackling player registration issues as well as the emergence of Alejandro Balde as a genuine option in the left-back slot.

Reports even indicated that the club could prioritise a move for Celta Vigo’s Javi Galan if they did pursue a left-back as he would be on a lower salary.

But according to the information handled by Diario AS that is unlikely to be the case, with Barcelona still pursuing the signing of Alonso from Chelsea.

President Laporta has spoken to the Spanish international and promised him that the club will do everything in their power to get the deal across the line.

The report further adds that should Alonso arrive, it will not affect Balde’s game-time at Spotify Camp Nou. Instead, it will be veteran star and one of the club captains, Jordi Alba, who will see his game-time take a further hit.

It has been reported that Xavi was unimpressed with his performance against Rayo Vallecano on the opening day, following which Alba has not started any of the two league games for Barça.

It will be nearly impossible for the club to get rid of the veteran this late in the transfer window. So, in case Alonso arrives, Alba might have to settle for a similar role to that of Gerard Pique, who has not played a single minute of football this season.

As things stand, though, Alonso to Barcelona still remains very much on the table, with Laporta & co. hoping to get the deal over the line soon.