Barcelona defender likely to find himself on the January market amid lack of game-time | OneFootball

Almost a month into the new season and Barcelona are looking like the team to beat for the rest of Europe.

But even at a time when most players are flourishing under the guidance of Hansi Flick, Alejandro Balde has appeared as the odd one out.

The Spaniard is no longer a part of Barcelona’s plans and was very close to leaving the club in the summer transfer window.

Balde to find himself on the January market

Balde has been frozen out of the squad. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

A recent report from Diario SPORT has indicated that if things continue to falter for Balde, he is likely to find himself in the January transfer market.

The Spanish international, after all, has yet to feature in a single minute of action this season, falling behind both Xavi Espart and Joao Cancelo in the pecking order.

Once regarded as the potential long-term replacement for Jordi Alba, the defender is now not even part of Flick’s plans.

Although the report does not rule out a turnaround in fortunes over the coming months, it adds that Barcelona will want to sell the defender if things don’t change.

This does make sense as Barcelona have found a lot of security with both Espart and Cancelo.

Espart has offered a lot of creativity and solidity at the back, whereas Cancelo’s offensive qualities cannot be understated. Together, the two have completely driven Balde out of Barcelona’s plans.

Could Balde still be useful?

No future for Balde at Barcelona. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

The season, however, is long and anything can happen, especially if Barcelona fall prey to injuries during the latter stages of the campaign.

An injury to either Espart or Cancelo, could make Balde an essential part of the squad as the club lack the services of a reliable alternative.

However, for now, a move away from Camp Nou in January would be the most logical decision for the Spanish international.

Balde was linked with a move to Man United in the summer and it will be interesting to see if the Red Devils come back for the Spaniard in January.