Manchester City 'made enquiry for Barcelona's Alejandro Balde'
The 19-year-old has cemented his place on the left side of the Barca defence, appearing 54 times for the Catalan giants since making his first-team debut in July 2021.
Balde featured in 33 La Liga matches last term — with 30 of those coming from the start — as Xavi's men regained the Spanish league crown from arch rivals Real Madrid.
The left-back is a product of Barca's famous academy, and has also appeared for Spain at Under-17, Under-19 and senior level over the past four years.
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City approached Barcelona in April over the potential capture of Balde this summer, although the Premier League champions' enquiry was not welcomed with open arms.
A separate report from Spanish outlet SPORT claims that Barca were quick to reject the advances from the Citizens for Balde, with the La Liga holders stating the player is not for sale.
It is understood that Pep Guardiola's side were looking to secure the services of the defender via an exchange deal, with a City star moving the other way.
Joao Cancelo is said to be one of the players that the Citizens were willing to use as part of a swoop for Balde, and although that particular deal did not occur, the Portuguese secured a switch to Barca on a season-long loan late in August.
An agreement for the 19-year-old did not materialise over the summer, and it is believed that the two clubs did not reach a stage in discussions where a possible fee would have been suggested.
The report also claims that Xavi's side are ready to reward Balde with fresh terms in Catalonia, meaning that he will be
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