BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Barcelona is in the market for a central defender. In recent weeks, Hansi Flick has acknowledged the need for reinforcements in that area due to a high number of injuries—so much so that, with Christensen, Garcia, Koundé, and Espart sidelined, he has had to deploy De Jong out of position. A departure will also be necessary—with Alejandro Balde the most likely candidate—to free up the resources needed to satisfy the manager’s requests.
According to “The Athletic,” while the prospect of signing Alessandro Bastoni has been completely ruled out—due to concerns raised over the summer regarding his suitability for a high, aggressive, four-man defensive line—RB Leipzig’s 23-year-old Frenchman Castello Lukeba remains an option, as does Lisandro Martinez, whose contract with Manchester United is nearing its end.
“Sport” mentions other names, including Fikayo Tomori; initially sidelined by Amorim but later reintegrated, he will also be a free agent at the end of the season, potentially presenting a strong market opportunity. While the AC Milan player would prefer a return to the Premier League, he is reportedly open to other destinations.
Other names include Vitor Reis—who is seeing limited playing time at Manchester City and has prior experience in La Liga from his spell at Girona—and Piero Hincapié, who is not getting the minutes he desires at Arsenal; both could potentially be pursued on loan. A similar situation applies to Lucas Beraldo, though it is unlikely that PSG would strengthen a direct rival in the Champions League. Jonathan Tah of Bayern Munich is also a difficult target, while Jorrel Hato—currently at Chelsea—is also on the radar, with the added versatility of being able to play as a left-back.
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(ITALPRESS).
