The fullback Alejandro Balde was one of the FC Barcelona players who saw his future at the Catalan club come under a lot of doubt during the last summer transfer window. Hansi Flick was reportedly left unsatisfied with his effort, despite believing in his talent, and things came to a head when he was left out of the squad for the opening game of the season against Elche, but then returned to the squad for the ensuing two games.
Ultimately, he did not end up changing clubs this summer. However, he was linked with several big clubs across Europe. One of the ways his departure could have materialized was in the form of [a swap deal with Inter Milan](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/barcelona-in-talks-with-inter-milan-over-swap-deal-involving-alejandro-balde/), with the Spaniard joining the Serie A side and one of their fullbacks, Federico Dimarco, joining Barcelona.
This operation could not be completed this summer, but according to [SPORT](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/dimarco-abre-puerta-barca-133898591), the Italian defender remains a good candidate to reinforce the Blaugrana defense next year, when his contract is set to expire.
The report highlights that the player is not happy with how Inter have delayed negotiations for a renewal, and also with the departure of the club’s former sporting director, Piero Ausilio. Furthermore, he also expressed pleasure when he was being linked with Barcelona during the last summer transfer window.
Dimarco remains one of the key players for this Inter Milan team, but the Nerazzurri club is facing a lot of internal turmoil, and the Catalans can take advantage of this situation. Flick would be particularly happy to have him in his team because the Italian would provide him with a left-footed option for the left-back position, where Balde has stopped being a reliable option for the German coach.
For now, the transfer window is closed, but Barcelona can still make new signings if the need arises in January, and Federico Dimarco might emerge as a viable option for them.