Catastrophic sluggishness: Barcelona make a grave mistake in the final days of the transfer window

Barcelona had told Balde's representative at the start of the transfer window that they were willing to listen to offers for the player. No serious move emerged until the final days of the market.

The club only began hunting seriously for a suitable destination during the last ten days of the window, according to "Sport". That grave mistake left them short of time and complicated the deal.

One idea was to swap Balde for Italian Federico Dimarco, but Inter rejected the proposal. Contacts with Manchester United led nowhere.

Barcelona were willing to listen to offers, but Baldé had no interest in leaving. The 22-year-old, under contract until 2028, wanted to stay and convince Hansi Flick he deserved a bigger role.

Flick's verdict on the player stands as the biggest obstacle. The German has no doubts about Baldé's technical ability. What worries him is the sharpness, the commitment and the tactical discipline, and he reckons the full-back hasn't yet hit the level required in those areas.

Chances came Baldé's way during pre-season, but Flick prioritised other options in the two full-back roles. He also prizes players who can cover more than one position, and that works firmly in Eric García's favour.

Flick sat Baldé down for a meeting in August. The coach's advice was blunt: find another club that could guarantee you regular football.

Barcelona were willing to listen to offers, but that didn't mean they wanted the player gone at any price. Baldé showed no clear desire to leave, and the club failed to find a suitable destination before the transfer window shut.

So Baldé starts the season as a backup in Flick's plans. That could change as the campaign wears on. Injuries, suspensions, fixture congestion and a dip in form among his rivals could all hand him a route back into the starting line-up.