Report: Barcelona Secure First Sale of the Summer to Serie A Side

Barcelona has made its first summer sale by transferring left-back Alex Valle to Como 1907. The 21-year-old has spent the last two seasons on loan and wasn’t expected to get much playing time next season under coach Hansi Flick.

Valle had a promising start under Xavi Hernandez, participating in the 2023 preseason with the senior team before going on loan to Levante last season. He initially secured a starting position but lost it during the second half of the year following a managerial shift. In the subsequent preseason, Valle found himself behind Gerard Martin in the lineup, often playing at right-back instead.

This season, Valle went on loan to Celtic, where he split playing time with Greg Taylor until January. At that point, Cesc Fabregas, a former Barcelona player, reached out to him, and Valle made the move to Como. Since arriving in Italy, he has established himself as a regular starter. The loan agreement included a €6 million purchase option, which Como has now activated, with €4 million paid upfront and an additional €2 million in installments.

Other clubs, including Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, expressed interest in Valle by contacting his agent, but it seems he was particularly drawn to the opportunity at Lake Garda.

Barcelona’s decision to let Valle go was influenced by the development of Gerard Martín. Despite facing challenges in the Champions League against Inter, Martin has shown enough potential to earn the backup position to Alejandro Balde, impressing Flick with his abilities. Earlier this season, Martin signed an extension until 2028, and he will compete for game time with Balde next season. Additionally, Jofre Torrents, an 18-year-old talent, also signed an extension until 2028. He is highly regarded by the Director of Football Deco, and his impressive performance with the under-19s and Barça Athletic suggests he could make the jump to the first team sooner rather than later.