Alejandro Balde faces decisive days over his Barcelona future. Several offers have landed on the table this summer, and every sign points to his time at the Catalan club drawing to a close.
Spanish newspaper "Marca" report that the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, touched down in Barcelona this week. The Portuguese held talks with the club's sporting director before meeting Balde and Marc Casado to lay out the options for each of them, with Casado's exit already anticipated for a while.
Uncertainty around Balde has grown sharply in recent days. The seriousness of a possible departure came into focus when Barcelona left the Spanish full-back out of their squad to face Elche, a strong hint that his future is now on the line.
Three offers sit in front of Balde, with Manchester United leading the chase. Current information suggests the Red Devils are closest to landing the Spain international, while two other clubs are also keen to sign him.
According to the report, Balde has yet to make his final call. Barcelona, meanwhile, must open official negotiations with the interested clubs. His exit is not imminent, though the indications point to it happening within the coming days.
The odds of Balde staying look slim. His absence from the Elche squad tells its own story, and Joao Cancelo is expected to take up the starting left-back role, a shift that may push the club to open the door for Balde to leave.
Should the departure go through, Barcelona will have to move quickly to replace him. That could mean signing a new left-back or bolstering the centre-back position, a priority that has occupied the club's management for some time.
An internal solution remains on the table. If Barcelona decline to sign a new full-back, they could turn to Gerard Martin at left-back, especially with the window closing in just nine days. The clock is ticking for the management to settle the shape of their back line.