Aston Villa Have Refused To Pay €60M For This Barcelona Player: Is The Move Unnecessary?
Aston Villa Have Refused To Pay €60M For This Barcelona Player: Is The Move Unnecessary? Aston Villa have flatly dismissed claims that they plan to splash €60m on Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde this summer. Sources close to the club have completely ruled out a move for the 22-year-old.
The update, confirmed by Sport Witness , draws a firm line under weeks of speculation linking Unai Emery’s side to the highly-rated defender. Balde is under contract at the Camp Nou until 2028 with a €1 billion release clause, though Transfermarkt currently values him at €55m. Why did the rumours gather pace?
The noise started building in late March. Sport Witness first reported on 26 March that Villa, Manchester City , and Manchester United had all reached out to Barcelona about a potential summer deal. On paper, Balde’s profile made the interest easy to believe.
He sits in the 97th percentile for defensive duels won and the 89th percentile for progressive carries this season, exactly the kind of traits that appeal to teams chasing Champions League football. Hansi Flick has made him his go-to left-back, with the Spaniard racking up 36 appearances this term despite two separate injury spells. His La Liga stats are fine, too, with 22 appearances, 19 starts, and 1,583 minutes on the pitch.
What did Aston Villa actually say? Club insiders have played down the talk of an approach, as Villa feel they already have plenty of depth at left-back. Emery relies on Lucas Digne as his primary option, with 24-year-old Ian Maatsen providing reliable cover behind the veteran Frenchman.