Barcelona prepared to delay new signings as they await veteran full-back | OneFootball

Barcelona have made a clear decision on their defensive planning: the club want to strengthen the left-back position this summer.

The club signed Joao Cancelo on loan in January, and the Portuguese full-back contributed a lot going forward and displaced Alejandro Balde from the starting berth.

According to SPORT, Barça have an agreement in place with Cancelo for the next two seasons, but the operation depends on Al Hilal.

Barça are prepared to wait a little longer for Cancelo before moving fully towards other options, with the Saudi Arabian club still not giving way.

Barça want Cancelo, but not at any price

The sporting approval appears to be total.

Cancelo wants to stay at Barcelona. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Hansi Flick likes Cancelo’s versatility, and that is easy to understand. He can play on both sides, offers quality in possession and gives Barça a different kind of full-back profile when the team need more control with the ball.

The problem is the price. Barça do not want to pay an inflated fee for a player who has only one year left on his Al Hilal contract.

That is a sensible position, but it also carries risk. Waiting for Cancelo means Barça could lose alternatives such as Andrea Cambiaso or Alejandro Grimaldo.

The left-back market is moving

Cambiaso is generating interest from Chelsea, Grimaldo has interest from Atletico Madrid, and if Barça put all their eggs in the Cancelo basket, they might end up with none.

This is where the club must be sharp. Cancelo is clearly the preferred route because he knows the dressing room, fits Flick’s plan and appears willing to make a financial effort to return.

Barcelona do not want to pay hefty price for Cancelo. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

However, there needs to be a date by which they need a decision. Al Hilal do not have him in their plans anymore, but are just making the sale difficult.

The situation also affects Alejandro Balde. He already lost his starting berth, and if Barça sign someone like Cancelo, he may start next season as the substitute.

Balde is homegrown, young and still has qualities that are hard to find. But if Flick does not see him as a starter, the player has to decide whether staying and fighting is better than protecting his development elsewhere.

Barça’s stance is understandable but dangerous. It is a double-edged sword and could leave the club late in the market, with fewer choices and more pressure.

Barça should keep pushing for Cancelo, but only if Al Hilal accept reality. If not, the club must move quickly, because the one thing they cannot afford is going into next season without competition for Balde, and it remains to be seen how things play out.