Barcelona is set to prioritize strengthening their full-back positions in the summer transfer window. However, it appears that they will look beyond their renowned La Masia academy to do so. Currently, Hector Fort and Gerard Martin serve as alternatives to Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde in Hansi Flick's squad.
One player who was highly regarded at the club last season is Alex Valle. The 20-year-old full-back was expected to challenge Martin for a starting spot this season after a loan spell at Levante. However, with Flick unable to guarantee him playing time, Valle opted for another loan move, this time to Celtic.
Under Brendan Rodgers, Valle played 19 games and provided five assists for the Scottish Premiership side. However, with Celtic making moves to bring Kieran Tierney back to the club, Valle made another switch in January, joining Como in Italy.
According to Sport, Como intends to exercise the buy option inserted into Valle's loan deal. While they attempted to sign Eric Garcia in January, they were met with a rejection. Valle, however, would reportedly accept a permanent move to Serie A if the opportunity arises.
Barcelona is assuming that a sale will be completed in the summer, with the expected transfer fee being around €8 million. Como has reportedly already decided to sign Valle permanently in the summer.
Since joining Como, Valle has started all six of the team's games at left-back, including wins over Fiorentina and Napoli. His impressive performances have likely contributed to Como's decision to sign him permanently.
It was initially thought that Barcelona might try to retain Valle as an alternative to Balde next season. However, the club has instead given a fresh deal to Martin, who is now tied to the club until 2028. This development suggests that Barcelona is willing to let Valle go and explore other options to strengthen their full-back positions.
As the summer transfer window approaches, Barcelona will likely be linked with several full-backs. With Valle's departure seemingly imminent, the club will need to identify suitable replacements to provide competition for Balde and Kounde. The upcoming transfer window promises to be an exciting one for Barcelona fans, as the club looks to strengthen its squad and challenge for major honors.
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