"My intention is to stay" - Barcelona star confirms he wants to sign new contract at Camp Nou
Barcelona starlet Alejandro Balde has confirmed that he wants to sign a new deal with the Catalan giants.
The 19-year-old has been a breakout star for the Blaugrana this season, having impressed almost on a weekly basis.
The youngster has established himself as the first-choice left-back at Barcelona this season ahead of experienced players like Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso.
With his current deal at the club expring in the summer of 2024, Balde has addressed his future plans.
The Spain international has admitted that he plans to stay at Camp Nou for the foreseeable future.
The pacey full-back has also insisted that he is happy with his progress this season as a footballer. He said, as quoted by Barca Blaugranes:
“The club and my representative have been met, yes. I am clear that my future is here at Barça.
“My intention is to stay for many years. I came to this house when I was only 7 or 8 years old and now I’m 19, that’s a long time and I hope it will be many more.
“Last season I didn’t have too many minutes, but before starting this season I faced it as a big personal challenge.”
Balde has also opened up on his increased gametime this season and has admitted that he did not expect it.
The teenager has also opened up on his learning experience from the duo of Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso:
“I have by my side two great references such as Jordi Alba and Marcos Alonso. Logically, if you had asked me this question in the summer, I probably wouldn’t have imagined that I would have played so many minutes, but it went like this and I’m very happy for the confidence the manager has given me and for how everything is going.”
Balde has started 17 games across competitions this season for Barcelona while coming on from the bench on five occasions.
He is yet to score his first goal for the club but has contributed with four assists while catching the eye with his outstanding pace and all-round game.
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The highly-rated youngster was once tipped to become Lionel Messi's successor at the Camp Nou.
He even inherited the legendary No. 10 shirt worn by the legendary Argentine forward at Barcelona.
However, his progress has stalled due to a series of injuries and he is yet to realize his true potential.
The Spaniard has made 31 appearances for Barcelona this campaign, scoring six goals and providing three assists.