During his tenure as the FC Barcelona coach, Hansi Flick has shown a tendency to have quite a deep squad and to have all his players present at a highly competitive level, ready to contribute whenever the team needs them. If a player is not up to par, the coach would rather see him leave and give his position to another player, more often than not to an academy graduate.
However, the fullback Alejandro Balde has been one of the players who remained in the Blaugrana squad despite losing a lot of prominence in the German coach’s plans in recent months. He was linked with a move away during the summer, but ultimately decided to stay with the Catalan side to try and regain his importance.
The Spaniard has been unable to succeed in this endeavor a few months into this season, and as a result, is once again being linked with a move away in the upcoming winter transfer window. Recent reports suggest that [the player himself is now also open to a transfer](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/barcelona-defenders-stance-on-leaving-the-club-changes-amid-limited-playing-time/).
The Serie A side AS Roma was one of the clubs reportedly interested in him. However, [Mundo Deportivo](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20261112/1004250119/roma-prioriza-fichar-dos-delanteros-congela-operacion-balde.html) cites the Italian outlet Il Messaggero to report that the Romans’ coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, has now ruled out a move for the Barcelona defender, for either a loan or a permanent transfer.
This is mainly because the Italian tactician wants a forward on a priority basis. The Real Madrid striker Endrick and the Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman are two of the options Roma are considering.
Irrespective of which player they sign, this is bad news for Barcelona. The Catalans would have to look for another suitor for a player who is no longer an important part of Flick’s plans, and it remains to be seen how Alejandro Balde’s future would pan out.