Barcelona make decisions regarding the contracts of full-back duo

In a summer when they splurged heavily on some players, Barcelona also brought in several players for no fee, which included Spanish full-back duo Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso.

The former arrived as a free agent after his Arsenal contract was torn up while Chelsea allowed the latter to leave on a Bosman deal as well.

While Barcelona successfully signed the pair, they had issues registering the full-backs due to Financial Fair Play issues, as a result of which both Alonso and Bellerin signed just one-year contracts with the club upon their arrival.

At the time, Barça had assured Alonso, who was initially expected to ink a three-year agreement, that they will offer him an extension later on.

And according to MARCA, Barcelona intend to keep their promise to Alonso and have informed the player that they will be renewing his contract to keep him at the club beyond the ongoing campaign.

Alonso has won the trust of manager Xavi Hernandez due to his reliable displays in defence, both in his natural left-back slot as well as a makeshift centre-back. The coaching staff and the club administration are said to be happy with the Spaniard and intend to keep him.

The ex-Chelsea ace is also keen on prolonging his stay at Camp Nou and while an agreement is yet to be finalised, there is a positive feeling from both parties. What needs to be decided is whether he will offered a two-year deal or a one-year contract with an option of another twelve months.

As for Bellerin, the Blaugrana had decided with the player that any extension for him would depend on his form over the course of the campaign. However, he has flattered to deceive in the first half of the season so far, leading to speculations over his future.

And despite reports linking him with an exit in the winter, Xavi and Barcelona are willing to keep him until the end of the season. The La Masia trainee will hope to earn a renewal, but it is unlikely that such a scenario materialises, especially with the club already planning to invest in a new right-back next summer.