Barcelona to meet with La Masia graduate after Spanish Super Cup to finalise new contract

Alejandro Balde has been one of Barcelona’s rising stars this season, having enjoyed an excellent breakthrough and becoming a trusted option for coach Xavi Hernandez in the full-back slots.

Balde was even a surprise inclusion for the Spanish national team during the World Cup, replacing the injured Jose Gaya. Although the youngster could not make much of an impact in the World Cup, his performances in La Liga this season have catapulted him into becoming one of the most sought-after young players in Spain.

In light of his success, Barcelona intend to renew the contract of Balde in this ongoing January transfer window. According to Luis F Rojo of MARCA, the club are planning to hold talks with the player later this month, shortly after the Spanish Super Cup.

Barcelona are slated to face Real Betis in the semi-final of the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia this midweek. Balde is among the players likely to start the game, even though the youngster was involved in the heated weekend clash with Atletico Madrid.

Balde’s current contract at Camp Nou expires in 2024. But as he is one of the lowest-paid players in the first team, Barça are expected to hand him a new contract that will significantly increase his salary while securing his long-term future at the club.

The contract may even include a release clause worth €1 billion or at least €500 million and is likely to run until 2027. However, Barcelona have their work cut out before they can register the contract, given the fact that the club are dealing with Financial Fair Play regulations.

Offloading a few of the unwanted stars could be one of the solutions for Barcelona to generate fresh revenue. To that end, the Catalans are facing some pressure to offload fringe stars like Memphis Depay and Hector Bellerin, with the former reportedly becoming a target for Atletico Madrid.