The One Key Situation That Could Alter Barcelona’s January Transfer Strategy

Barcelona have completed just four permanent signings over the past three transfer windows.

Barcelona sports director Deco could be forced to pick up the phone and look for reinforcements in January. / David S Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Only days ago Barcelona sports director Deco revealed that the club wasn’t planning on being active during the January transfer window, but that admission could turn out to be false because of one specific player: Ronald Araujo.

The Uruguay international requested the club some time off to address a personal matter. Barcelona granted him a leave of absence and are willing to wait and support their vice-captain for as long as he needs.

But given there’s no timeline for Araujo’s return, Barcelona are prepared to explore the January transfer market in search of a center back that can fill the Uruguayan’s void, per MARCA.

Any potential incoming transfer would have to come at a relatively low cost. Barcelona’s precarious financial situation is well-known by now and it’s unrealistic to expect the club to break the bank for any reinforcements. Financial Fair Play rules didn’t allow the Catalans to register their entire squad until the third game of the La Liga season.

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With Araujo absent, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Andreas Christensen and Gerard Martín are Hansi Flick’s current center back options. It’ not exactly a thin rotation but Araujo’s situation, plus the sudden departure of Iñigo Martínez over the summer, reduced Flick’s alternatives.

Therefore, reports signal that if Barcelona are active in the January window, they would be solely focused on reinforcing the heart of the backline.

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Joan Laporta Speaks on Barcelona’s January Plans

Barcelona’s president isn’t closing the door on potential January reinforcements. / Koji Watanabe/Getty Images

Mere days after Deco said he “didn’t believe [Barcelona] needed any reinforcements at this point,” club president Joan Laporta spoke on the situation and contradicted his sports director.

“Surely there can be opportunities in the market,” Laporta said. “If we have to reinforce the team we will reinforce it. I can’t tell you if we’re going to sign anyone, but if we have to do it we will do it.”

Barcelona’s president also touched on Araujo’s situation, revealing he’s been in contact with the defender and that everyone at the club is offering their full support.

“He [Araujo] was grateful to me and told me he’ll be motivated again,” Laporta continued. “These are delicate subjects and we need professionals to handle it. He’s a sensible and emotional man. He’s a player we need, we don’t have any other player with his characteristics.”

Araujo hasn’t donned Barcelona’s shirt since he was sent off in the first half of the painful 3–0 defeat against Chelsea.

Barcelona targeted the summer of 2026 as the time when they would search for reinforcements. A center forward and a winger remain positions of need, but ones the club didn’t plan to address in the January transfer window.

Now, the club awaits Araujo’s return while also beginning to monitor any potential opportunity to fortify what’s unquestionably been a leaky defensive line this season.

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