The Internet has made access to football players easier than it’s ever been, for good and bad. The invention of social media now means anyone can pose a question to a player on their account — though they may or may not answer.
This is what happened recently with Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde. He has been linked with a move to Liverpool recently, and this speculation has resulted in fans asking him about a move to Merseyside this summer.
Interacting on social media (via The Kop Times), a Liverpool fan asked the 20-year-old to ‘come to Liverpool in summer’. And perhaps surprisingly, Balde responded.
He was left unimpressed by the idea of walking away from the Nou Camp. “And leaving Barcelona in summer? No man,” followed by a laughing emoji. Balde is a product of Barcelona’s youth academy, and broke into the first team in 2021/22 under then-coach Xavi.
It was in 2022/23 that Balde had his real breakthrough season, making 33 appearances in La Liga, and 44 in all competitions. He was then linked with a move to Man City last summer, but ultimately nothing came of it as he remained in Spain.
The 2023/24 season, however, saw Balde fight injury, and this limited his chances. He played just 18 times in La Liga, yet his impressive form means he’s still being linked with a host of teams around Europe. The player was linked with a move to Liverpool as far back as 2019 (via Sport Witness), but it never materialized.
