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Polar opposite trajectories at Barcelona for Alejandro Balde and Ferran Torres

One came to the club in a fanfare and blaze of glory, whilst the other quietly and studiously made his way into the senior ranks.

When Ferran Torres, a player who couldn’t get into Manchester City’s first team, signed on the dotted line with Barca for an eye-watering €55m, it was heralded as a new beginning for the Catalans.

A time to finally start looking forward rather than poring over the ruins that Josep Maria Bartomeu and his board had left behind.

Alejandro Balde has been well known to culers for some while now, though it’s doubtful that any can have expected him to have had quite the impact he has thus far.