Balde wants to stay. Flick is not promising that he will

Alejandro Balde has not requested a transfer, remains happy at Barcelona and wants to fight for his place. Manchester United have merely checked on his situation. That should be enough to close the story. It would be, if Hansi Flick had given the obvious answer.

During his press conference before the match against Elche, the coach was asked directly whether Balde and Jules Koundé were untouchable. Flick did not say yes. Instead, he pointed towards a simple rule of the final days of a transfer window: when a club brings in new players, others may have to leave.

“There are changes at the club,” Flick said. “It is normal that if you want to have new players, others leave.”

He then focused specifically on Balde.

“It is a difficult question. He has great quality. What I want to see is that he is convinced about competing for his place. That is what I expect from the players every day. I need all of them because we will only be successful if we play as a team.”

This was not an announcement that Balde will be sold. Flick did not say that the defender has been removed from his plans either. It was still a long way from unconditional support for a player whose name has appeared in transfer reports over the last few days.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United contacted Jorge Mendes to ask about the left-back’s situation. No official offer has been submitted and Balde is not pushing to leave. His preference is to remain at Barcelona, and a departure would only become a realistic option if the club made it clear that he was no longer wanted.

Balde has already expressed a similar position himself. During preseason, he said that he could not see his future away from Barcelona and intended to concentrate on winning back his place in the starting lineup. The problem is that a player’s personal plans and the club’s plans do not always have to be the same.

João Cancelo’s return has changed the situation. The Portuguese defender has been registered with LaLiga and Flick confirmed that he is ready to face Elche. Cancelo can play on either side of the defence, but he took minutes away from Balde last season. Gerard Martín has also shown that he can provide another option on the left.

Competition is not unusual at a club of this size. The more revealing part was Flick’s refusal to close the transfer discussion when one short sentence would have done it. Instead of declaring Balde untouchable, he asked the defender to demonstrate belief, commitment and a willingness to compete.

Koundé’s position is slightly different. The Frenchman was included in the original question, but Flick did not issue the same individual challenge to him. The coach did not guarantee that either defender would definitely remain after the transfer window closes, however.

Barcelona do not have to sell Balde at any cost and the player is not looking for an escape route. At the same time, the club are leaving themselves room to consider a proposal if an offer arrives that they regard as sufficiently attractive. Manchester United have conducted an enquiry, not launched a formal bid.

Balde wants to stay. Barcelona have not ordered him to leave. Flick has not said that he must remain. In late August, that small gap is more than enough to fit an entire Barcelona transfer story inside.