Barcelona star rejects the planned scenario, and Flick waits for January

What's the story?

Alejandro Balde is enduring a miserable start to the season at Barcelona. The left-back has managed just 12 minutes of action and clearly fallen out of Hansi Flick's plans, yet he remains determined to stay in Catalonia and refuses to even consider leaving in the upcoming transfer window.

According to Marca, Barcelona and Flick sanctioned a summer exit after deciding Balde would not be their first-choice left-back. The 22-year-old chose to stay, with his contract running until June 2028.

One substitute appearance against Racing at the Camp Nou, lasting 12 minutes, is Balde's entire La Liga return so far. He sat out the other six league fixtures, missed the Champions League clash with Feyenoord and did not even make the squad for the opener against Elche.

Flick rates Balde and reckons he can offer more, but for now he trusts Gerard Martín and João Cancelo instead, judging their physical condition to be sharper as the fight for the left-back berth plays out.

None of this has shifted Balde's thinking. He believes the season is long, that the sheer volume of matches will hand him chances to prove himself and earn minutes, and that conviction is why he is clinging to his decision to see out the campaign.

Barcelona, for their part, would not stand in his way if his stance changed. They have plenty of cover at left-back and value Balde at around 60 million euros, a fee that could ease their finances and fund fresh additions in January.

A summer sale had looked like a sensible deal to the club, but talks collapsed when Balde knocked back every offer, despite interest from Manchester United, Manchester City, Benfica and Aston Villa.

Selling before any serious winter spending is now a necessity for Barcelona, and Balde's departure could be one answer. It would bring in money, trim the wage bill, and the board do not believe his exit would leave a gaping hole in the squad.