Barcelona Opts Against January Signings Despite Defensive Woes

Barcelona is currently leaning towards not making any signings in the January transfer market, despite having the opportunity due to the long-term absence of Balde, who will undergo surgery in Finland tomorrow for his serious muscle injury. The sports department has made attempts, but the limited financial margin, even with the savings from the full-back’s absence, makes the arrival of an immediately impactful and reliable player unfeasible. Sporting Director Deco has already communicated this, but the search for a standout player has proven elusive in terms of both price and quality.

The Blaugrana club was somewhat optimistic about the possibility of bringing in a midfielder on a six-month loan. Deco himself admitted they would try, and they did try, but economically, signing a player of Barcelona’s caliber in the current market conditions is virtually impossible. Internally, there is a clear understanding that the way forward involves a strong commitment to the youth academy. Rather than bringing in a last-minute patch that lacks consensus, the idea is to provide opportunities to promising youngsters from within. There might soon be some surprises with players under 18 making their debut.

In recent days, Barcelona considered options like Jorginho (Arsenal), which ultimately were not financially viable and did not receive the player’s final approval due to the need for a reduced salary and uncertain continuity beyond the current season. Inquiries were made in Spain about players available for loan, but until now, a player capable of playing both as a defensive midfielder and an interior midfielder has not been found. Guido from Betis was highly regarded, but he remains injured.

Deco has been discussing the possibility of signings with Xavi Hernandez in recent days, highlighting the difficulty of finding a player who could make an immediate impact. Therefore, Xavi has mentioned on several occasions that it is practically impossible to bring in someone. Although LaLiga granted permission in Balde’s injury case, the margin was too narrow. Deco will continue trying, but sources from the club confirm to SPORT that “there will be no signings in this winter transfer market.” Unless a top-tier option at a reasonable price emerges on the final day of the transfer window, the club’s stance remains clear.

On another note, the case of Swedish player Bergvall is different. Barcelona is close to reaching a transfer agreement with his club for €7 million plus incentives, and his official inclusion could be announced this week. Bergvall would not arrive in Barcelona until after June 30 and would be a reinforcement for the next sporting project.