Barcelona Set To Offer This Youngster A Five-Year Contract: Good Move For Both Parties? | OneFootball

In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Barcelona are set to offer Alejandro Balde a five-year contract. It has been mentioned that the Catalan outfit are planning to tie the Spanish youngster down to a new long-term deal and also offer him a pay rise in the process.

Balde’s Impressive Rise At The Nou Camp

Balde deserves a lot of credit for coming through the youth ranks of Barcelona before establishing himself as a key member of Xavi’s match-day squad this season. The 19-year-old has featured in 18 matches for both his club and country during this campaign, securing three assists in the process across multiple competitions.

The talented starlet has caught the eye with his performances on the left flank as he is averaging 1.4 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 0.5 shots, 0.7 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has even been excellent when distributing possession from the back based on his pass completion rate of 91.7% in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).

Balde’s current deal at Barcelona will run out in the summer of 2024. Hence, it makes sense for the Catalan club to tie him down to a new long-term contract soon.

Nou Camp

Balde Set To Be Offered A Five-Year Contract By Barcelona: Good Move For Both Parties?

Balde is a solid tackler of the ball and usually works hard for his side on the defensive third of the field. He can make some driving runs with the ball on the left wing and can deliver some decent passes to his teammates inside the opponent’s penalty box. The Spanish whizkid is still quite raw and would need time to establish himself as a consistent performer at the highest level. He is primarily a left-back but can also fill in as a left-sided wide player or as a right-back if told to do so.

At 19, Balde has got a very bright future ahead of him and could go on to become a superstar in Spanish football over the next decade.

Hence, Barcelona would be wise to offer him a new contract as it will be a good move for both the player and the Catalan club as they look to bring some success back to the Nou Camp in the coming seasons. Thus, Xavi should focus on tying Balde down to a five-year contract so that the gifted youngster can completely turn his attention to getting better on the field.