Fabrizio Romano has made the Alejandro Balde situation sound increasingly open again. Barcelona were prepared to let him leave in the summer if the right proposal arrived, Manchester United and AS Roma both enquired, and Romano says the final decision in January will depend on the player himself.
Balde's limited minutes at Barcelona
The context is plain enough. Balde has made only 3 La Liga appearances and played 100 minutes in the league this season, while he has also had 2 Champions League appearances and 24 minutes in Europe. Romano said in November that he is “almost never playing, really limited minutes”.
That usage is why the conversation has reopened. Barcelona wanted Balde to stay and fight for his place in the summer, but they were also open to an exit if a good proposal came in. Jorge Mendes has begun exploring the market for him, which tells you the player side of this is already active.
Why January is still live
Romano’s key line was simple: “But everything will depend on the player, because the player in the summer didn’t want to leave.” Balde refused the exit once, and that is why the January question is not just about clubs circling him again.
United remain in the frame because they enquired before, and their left-back issue has not gone away. Luke Shaw has made 5 Premier League appearances this season, so the position is still a live squad problem even before any talk of Balde intensifies.
Romano also said there was no agreement with any club in the summer and that Barcelona would not let Balde leave on loan or on an easy deal. If January does move, it will need to be a serious proposal and a player willing to change his mind. Right now, the important detail is that Balde’s future is being driven by his own decision as much as by the interest around him.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
