Three Barcelona defenders receiving significant interest for a potential January move – Report | OneFootball

One of the big news for FC Barcelona at the start of this new year was their return to the 1:1 status, which allows them to invest every Euro they earn from player departures into new player arrivals.

Till the end of last year, the Blaugrana club was subject to the 1:4 rule, which meant they could spend only 1/4th of their earnings and savings from player sales for new arrivals.

One implication of this rule was the reluctance of the Catalan club to part with most of their current players, as selling a player would not have been enough for them to cover his loss by investing the amount obtained from his departure for a new arrival.

However, with the change in their status, Barcelona are already being linked to several moves in the market. They continue to be linked with players to strengthen various positions in their team, while some of their players have also been linked with moves away from the club.

As Mundo Deportivo has noted, in this latter category of players being linked with moves away from the club fall three defenders, Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen, and Eric Garcia. The contracts of all these three players are expiring in 2026, and thus the Blaugrana club will have to make a decision on their future in the months to come.

Araújo made his season debut in the game against UD Barbastro but left his future open to speculation with the comments he made at the end of this game.

A recent report indicated that Juventus are interested in signing him on loan with a mandatory purchase clause, while Manchester United and Bayern Munich also remain interested in him.

Andreas Christensen has also not been able to play since the very first game of the season against Valencia, but he is reportedly close to making his return to the pitch. However, with Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez established as starters for Barcelona, it is unlikely that he will get a starting role going forward.

Juventus are also interested in the Danish defender, while he also retains a high demand in the Premier League, and might have options to leave in January.

Lastly, Eric Garcia has also been unable to take advantage of Araújo and Christensen’s injuries this season and remains a substitute in Flick’s team. However, Girona still remain interested in him after his encouraging loan stint with them last season and are reportedly interested in signing him this month.

For now, it remains to be seen how the future of these three defenders unfolds in the coming months. However, with the surplus of options in Barcelona’s central defense and the anticipated arrival of Jonathan Tah in the summer transfer window, it seems highly likely that at least one of them will depart.