After being left out of training on Monday, the Celtic target was out of the matchday squad 24 hours later.
In what is perhaps the biggest hint yet that a graduate from the fabled La Masia academy will be on his way to the green side of Glasgow, there was no place for Alex Valle on Barcelona’s squad list for Tuesday night’s trip to Rayo Vallecano.
Valle, the Spain Under 20 international, was on the bench for those successive 2-1 triumphs over Valencia and Athletic Bilbao to start the new La Liga season.
But not tonight.
A whole host of La Masia graduates are part of Hansi Flick’s travelling party – teen sensations Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi among them – but a certain talented young left-back is conspicouous by his absence.
And that, presumably, is because the Catalan-born Valle is set to become a Celtic player. Albeit only on a short-term, temporary basis.
Celtic close in on Barcelona starlet Alex Valle
Mundo Deportivo reported earlier this week that Valle is due to undergo a medical with the Scottish Premiership champions before the transfer window closes later in the week.
Valle will join Celtic on what many on the continent call a ‘dry loan’.
Meaning, there will be no option or obligation-to-buy clause in his contract, the highly-rated 20-year-old due to return to the Camp Nou in July 2025.
Valle will provide some much-needed competition for an often overworked Greg Taylor on the left-hand side of Brendan Rodgers’ backline.
The eternally-underrated Taylor has been lacking any sort of support since £4 million man Alexandro Bernabei moved to Brazilian outfit Internacional in the spring, and Valle’s arrival will finally give Rodgers the option of shuffling his back while giving the former Kilmarnock stalwart the odd rest.
With £25 million burning a hole in the back pocket following Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton and Hove Albion, Valle is unlikely to be the only new face arriving at Parkhead in the final few days of August.
HITC understands that Celtic have held talks with Los Angeles FC over the £8 million-rated Mateusz Bogusz. The talented Pole boasts an impressive goalscoring record from midfield – 17 this season – and likes to drift in onto his left foot in a manner reminiscent of Hoops Player of the Year O’Riley.
HITC have been told that a loan deal for former fans’ favourite Jota is also on the cards. The twinkle-toed playmaker has struggled to make his mark in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad.
Celtic are being linked with Augsburg starlet Arne Engels and Hammarby’s Bazoumana Toure too, though the latter is keen to stay in Sweden until the turn of the year.
Brendan Rodgers wants signings after Matt O’Riley exit
“I just hope we can at least get some of (the O’Riley fee),” Rodgers told Football Scotland after Celtic’s 3-0 trouncing of St Mirren on Sunday, while expressing his frustrations at the lack of movement in the incomings department.
Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo are the only outfield signings this summer, and both played for Celtic last season on loan anyway.
“There are a number of things I won’t go into here,” Rodgers adds, keen to lay out his concerns while not getting too carried away. “But (recruitment) is definitely something – having come back in and gone through three windows now – we have to put right as a football club.
“We shouldn’t have been getting into this last week in the position we’re in. That’s the reality.
“However, that’s something for us after this window. As I said, we’ll get the players in that we want. We don’t need to manufacture our own stress when there’s no need. We don’t need to do that. So we’ll be calm this week.
“We’ll look to get the players in that can strengthen us.”
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