Barça confident of landing Marcos Alonso... Balde to stay
Laporta, after a meeting with the player’s agents on Monday, reassured the winger that he will sign with Barça before the market closes. Balde, has received offer but will continue at the club.
Diario AS understands that Marcos Alonso’s chances of signing for Barça are still very much alive with just two days of the transfer window left. Barça president Joan Laporta has given the player his word that he will do everything possible in the next 48 hours to finalize his transfer. It is a sporting issue as well as a moral one after months of conversations, during which the Chelsea player has done everything in his power to push his move to Camp Nou through - for both sporting and personal reasons. The big news is that Marcos Alonso signing for Barça would not impulse Alejandro Balde’s departure. The youth team player, who has not yet turned 19, has received numerous offers but Barça have made it clear that he is not for sale and will be staying where he is.
The decision to push right until the end for Marcos Alonso and to keep Alejandro Balde directly affects Jordi Alba, who was on the bench in the last two matches. Alba’s already delicate situation could get even more complicated if Alonso arrives. AS has been told that Xavi wouldn’t object to Jordi Alba’s departure. The club tried to find an outlet for the defender last season without success. When he took the coaching post, Xavi was initially convinced that he could get the best out of the full-back but he has had second thoughts over the past few months, and has since reached the conclusion that Alba is expendable. The left-back has started the last two games on the bench - a move which has not been accidental. However, Barça knows that getting rid of Alba at this point is almost impossible.
The only ace up the sleeve with which Barça have to play is the World Cup. If Marcos ends up signing for Barça, Alba would become a permanent substitute and that would certainly ruin his chances of being included in Luis Enrique’s Spain squad for the World Cup - the player knows that will be his last chance to play at the tournament.
Like Azpilicueta, a signing that was ultimately frustrated, Marcos Alonso has had the exit conditions agreed with Chelsea for months. The Madrid wing-back, whose father is remembered by Barça fans for his historic Cup final winner against Madrid, expects to get one final nod from Laporta so that he can play for Barça this season.