Barcelona eyeing a move for a young defender with great future in January | Barca Universal

"Barcelona are facing a major dilemma heading into the January transfer window. Although signing a new player in the middle of the season was not something the club had planned, the recent injury of Andreas Christensen has compounded the problems for Hansi Flick. As a result, the club could be tempted to make a move for a new defender in January, as they look to beef up their options at the back."

"According to Matteo Moretto on Radio MARCA, Barcelona are indeed looking for a new central defender in the winter transfer window. However, the club are not just looking for any centre-back. They ideally want to sign a young defender who has a great future ahead of him. This directly contradicts earlier reports that suggested Barça might be looking for a short-term solution while preferring to wait until the summer to pursue their main targets."

"However, it is entirely possible the club could look to loan a young and talented defender, with the buyout clause added in the contract. The Catalans have been heavily linked with a move for Marcos Senesi. But the club would ideally wait for the Argentine to run down his contract in the summer, when he becomes a free agent. Barcelona, meanwhile, are also keeping tabs on young Cameroonian centre-back Samuel Kotto, especially after an impressive national team debut at the Africa Cup of Nations."

Andreas Christensen's injury has left Barcelona short of central defenders, prompting consideration of a January signing. The club prefer a young centre-back with long-term potential rather than a purely short-term fix. Loan moves with buyout clauses are being considered to bridge availability gaps. Marcos Senesi is a long-term target but is likely to be pursued as a free agent in the summer. Barcelona are monitoring Samuel Kotto after his impressive national team debut at the Africa Cup of Nations. Nathan Ake has been offered as a short-term option due to limited game time at Manchester City. More options may appear before the window.

Read at Barca Universal