Barcelona reached the midpoint of the 2025–26 season as La Liga leaders but have shown certain weaknesses that raise doubts about their ability to compete seriously on all fronts. With the January transfer window open, head coach Hansi Flick sent a clear signal to the club’s management.
During Friday’s press conference ahead of the derby against Espanyol, Flick was asked about his thoughts on the team’s chances with the current roster during the decisive stage of the season. “We’re not ready, as of today,” he admitted candidly, according to Sport.
The coach then pointed out the specific area of the field where he believes the team has deficiencies that need to be addressed as soon as possible. “If you look at our back line, I think we need one more,” Hansi explained.
Flick was, of course, referring to the defensive problems Barcelona have experienced this season. The unexpected departure of Iñigo Martinez to Al Nassr last summer created an issue that has yet to be resolved, despite constant changes in central defensive personnel.
Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.
Pau Cubarsi is Barcelona’s most reliable defender, but Flick has struggled to find the ideal partner. Ronald Araujo has underperformed, while other options such as Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen (currently injured), and Gerard Martin have not been convincing.
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Barcelona’s January transfer search
Hansi Flick’s desire to add a central defender during the January transfer window is no secret. In fact, there has been speculation for weeks about various players who could join Barcelona immediately.
Nathan Ake, Alessandro Bastoni, Stefan De Vrij, Marc Guehi, and Nicolas Otamendi have all been mentioned as potential reinforcements for the Catalan side, although reports indicate that no advanced negotiations have begun for any of them. In addition, other clubs like Real Madrid are also looking for a player of this profile, which certainly complicates Barcelona’s chances.
“This market is not easy,” Hansi Flick acknowledged during the same press conference, aware that Barcelona’s financial limitations will be an obstacle in pursuing reinforcements. “We’ll have to see… I think we’ll do something, but it has to make sense.”
A solution from Saudi Arabia?
While Barcelona’s priority appears to be a center back, the possibility of signing Joao Cancelo could address the team’s needs. The Portuguese full-back is set to leave Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League this window, and he reportedly wants to return to Europe.
Inter Milan and Barcelona appear to be the two main options. According to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, cited by Sport, Cancelo’s salary in Saudi Arabia is €15 million per year. That means for the remainder of the season, he is owed €7.5 million. Of that amount, Al Hilal are expected to cover up to half to facilitate the transfer, leaving about €3.75 million (around $4 million) for the club signing the Portuguese defender.
If Barcelona can cover that amount, they would be in a position to negotiate Cancelo’s return. The defender would give Flick the option to play on either the right or left, with an important detail: if deployed as a right-back, he could free Jules Kounde to play as a center back, potentially solving Barcelona’s ongoing problem in that position.
