Deco triggers his clause, €20M and Barça, Alejandro Balde will have competition

Deco is already planning for next season. It's true that there are still many months left before the summer transfer window opens again, but the Portuguese has a lot of work to do and wants to get ahead. Specifically, his efforts are focused on strengthening the left side of the Barça defense, where Alejandro Balde is raising more doubts than certainties.

Alejandro Balde still isn't delivering the desired performance. Based on his technical and physical abilities, he should be the best in the world in his position, but the reality is that his level is light-years away from the best. Offensively, he contributes very little and, defensively, he shows too many gaps that compromise the team in important matches.

Hansi Flick has tried to put pressure on Alejandro Balde with the presence of Gerard Martín and Jofre Torrents. The German coach trusted internal competition to raise the level of the left back. However, Balde knows that his two competitors, due to talent and experience, are still far from being able to take away important playing minutes from him.

Deco activates his clause, €20 million and to Barça, Alejandro Balde faces competition

Everything could change in the summer, because Deco has already made a decisive decision so Alejandro Balde will have more competition. The club is determined to bring back Grimaldo, a Barça youth product, for only €20 million. The Portuguese believes that his return to Barça would be a masterstroke to strengthen a very weakened position.

Grimaldo is one of the best full-backs in the world. He has been proving it for several seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, where he has become an essential piece of the German team's system. His performance is no coincidence: he combines tactical intelligence, ball striking, leadership, and an offensive ability uncharacteristic of a defender.

Grimaldo shows he's better than Alejandro Balde

In 2023, Grimaldo posted impressive numbers: 12 goals and 20 assists playing as a full-back. Last season, he scored 4 goals and provided 13 assists, keeping an absolutely outstanding offensive level. In the current campaign, he already has 7 goals and 4 assists, showing that his influence goes far beyond simply running up and down the flank.

His contribution is far superior to Alejandro Balde's, and Deco is fully aware of it. That's why he's working on his return to Camp Nou, convinced that his arrival would immediately raise Barça's competitive level. In addition, for only €20 million, the operation is considered realistic and manageable even in a demanding economic context.

Deco's idea is clear: Grimaldo would be real competition for Alejandro Balde and, at the same time, an immediate solution for Flick. With him, Barça would gain depth, creativity, and elite set-piece ability. If everything goes as planned, the full-back trained at La Masia will return home in 2026.