According to Sport, 22-year-old left-back Alejandro Balde of FC Barcelona has agreed to leave the club, allowing his agent Jorge Mendes to search for a new destination.

At the end of last season, before the World Cup, Balde's future sparked widespread speculation. At that time, Barcelona's technical team confirmed he was available for sale, and several clubs indicated interest in acquiring him. However, Balde and his representatives consistently maintained he had no intention of leaving Barcelona's first team, insisting he would stay at the club.

Weeks later, as the transfer window entered its final stages, the situation shifted significantly. Barcelona's sporting department reiterated that Balde was not a priority in Hansi Flick's tactical system, and this time Balde's position changed as well. The 22-year-old has now relented. Barcelona's transfer strategy is now clear, and their full-court press to bring back Cancelo demonstrates Flick and Deco's priorities and preferences.

The left-back market has not seen inflated bids, especially considering that most leagues have already begun their first round of matches, and crucially, most clubs have nearly exhausted their transfer budgets.

Having an agent like Jorge Mendes means Balde can always be offered viable exit options. The problem lies in Barcelona's asking price. A few months ago, when transfer rumors first emerged, reports suggested Balde could cost between 40 to 45 million euros. That figure is nearly impossible to achieve now, except perhaps for the Saudi Pro League.

Currently, FC Barcelona has received at least one formal offer and one formal inquiry. The initial offer comes from Benfica, the Portuguese club seeking two defensive signings: a center-back and a left-back. However, Benfica's offer is unlikely to exceed 20 million euros. In this scenario, Barcelona will need to employ "creative conditions" to attract additional financial incentives or agree to receive a percentage of future transfer fees.

In the Premier League, Aston Villa is also looking for a top-level left-back. However, for now, Villa has no transfer budget. They need to sell players first to generate sufficient revenue before they can submit an offer for a player like Balde.

Following recent years' patterns, Barcelona players' transfers are often linked to potential interest from Manchester United. Transfer rumors have indeed pointed to Manchester, but as of now, Michael Carrick's side has made no concrete moves. The list of clubs competing for Balde is expected to grow in the coming hours. The defender does not lack suitors, but Barcelona hopes to complete a top-tier transfer. At this point—August 22—it will be difficult for the market to offer an inflated price.

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