Barcelona are set to look at their full-back positions as one of their priorities in order to strengthen their squad in the summer, but it looks as if they will look outside of the club’s La Masia academy in order to do so. Currently Hector Fort and Gerard Martin are Hansi Flick’s alternatives to Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde, but Alex Valle is unlikely to return in the summer.

The 20-year-old was regarded highly at the club last season, and after a loan spell at Levante, was expected to be ahead of Martin in the pecking order this season. However with Flick unable to guarantee him playing time, Valle elected for another loan move, this time to Celtic. Under Brendan Rodgers he played 19 games and provided five assists, but with the Bhoys making moves to bring Kieran Tierney back to the club, was again making a switch in January, joining Como in Italy.

According to Sport, Cesc Fabregas’ side intend to operate the buy option that they have inserted into Valle’s loan deal. While they tried to move for Eric Garcia in January too, they were met with a rejection, but Valle would accept a permanent move to Serie A if it was on the table. Barcelona are assuming that a sale will be completed in the summer, and although the figure is less set in stone, they will give the green light for a move that reaches around €8m for Valle. Como have reportedly already taken the decision to sign Valle in the summer.

Barcelona's latest renewal offer to De Jong includes a slight drop in his fixed salary, but the introduction of performance-based incentives. @sport

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 11, 2025

Since arriving in Lombardy, Valle has started all six of Como’s games at left-back, including wins over Fiorentina and Napoli. It had been thought that Barcelona might try to retain Valle as an alternative to Balde next season, but they have given a fresh deal to Martin, who is now tied to the club until 2028.