Barcelona push for late Federico Dimarco deal involving Alejandro Balde

Barcelona sporting director Deco is working on a late-window move for Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco, with left-back Alejandro Balde potentially heading in the opposite direction as part of an ambitious exchange.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona and Inter Milan are negotiating a swap deal that would see the Catalan club attempt to sign Dimarco while allowing Balde to join the Nerazzurri. Barcelona would also pay a transfer fee to Inter to help complete the proposed agreement.

The discussions have intensified in recent hours, although Inter have not yet given approval for Dimarco to leave. The Italy international is regarded as one of the club’s key players and has been considered untouchable within the squad in recent years.

Any agreement would therefore be highly complicated. Barcelona are aware of the difficulty of persuading Inter to part with a player who remains an important part of their plans, but the club has not abandoned the possibility of reaching a deal during the final three days of the summer transfer window.

Balde’s position at Barcelona has become less secure under manager Hansi Flick. The German coach has made it clear that the 21-year-old would find it difficult to establish himself as a leading member of the team.

The arrival of Joao Cancelo has increased competition for the full-back positions, while the strong performances of Xavi Espart have made the battle for a place on the left side more demanding than ever. Those developments have encouraged Barcelona to consider whether Balde could be used as part of a deal for Dimarco.

The proposed transaction would require agreement from all parties, with Inter needing to accept the departure of Dimarco, Barcelona deciding to release Balde and the financial element of the transfer being settled between the clubs.

For now, Inter continue to resist the idea of losing one of their principal players, despite the increased activity in the negotiations. Barcelona, however, believe there remains a window of opportunity before the transfer market closes and are continuing to explore whether Deco’s late move can be completed.

Dimarco, who is 28, remains at the centre of the discussions. His status at Inter is the main obstacle to the exchange, while Barcelona’s crowded competition at left-back has created the circumstances for Balde to be included in the proposal.

The next three days will determine whether the negotiations develop into a completed transfer or whether Inter’s refusal to sanction Dimarco’s departure brings the plan to an end.