After the departure of Spanish defender Iñigo Martínez to Al-Nassr, Barcelona is intensifying its efforts to explore the transfer market in search of a left center-back to compensate for this absence, amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araújo.

Despite the transfer market being closed, the sports management led by Deco continues to monitor several prominent defenders in Europe and South America, preparing for any future moves.

The most notable names that Barcelona is monitoring:

1- Gonzalo Ignacio, a 24-year-old player from Sporting Lisbon, is a key left defender for the Portuguese national team, and his name has recently been linked to Barcelona after a meeting between his agent and Deco. He possesses high potential and is considered one of the top defenders in the Portuguese league.

2- Murillo dos Santos, a 23-year-old player from Nottingham Forest, is a Brazilian defender who has shown strong performances in the English league and is contracted until 2029.

3- Luis Benedetti, a 19-year-old player from Palmeiras, is a tall Brazilian (1.97 m) known for his smooth ball progression from the back and has attracted the attention of major clubs like Arsenal and Napoli.

4- Marc Guéhi, a 25-year-old player from Crystal Palace, is an English international defender whose contract with his team has not been renewed and is attracting interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool.

5- Lucas Beraldo, a 21-year-old player from Paris Saint-Germain, who lost his starting position at the end of last season and may leave the French team despite being contracted until 2029.

Currently, coach Hans Flick relies on Pau Koubarsi, Araújo, Christensen, Eric Garcia, and Gerard Martin, who is being tested as a left center-back despite being a full-back.

It is worth noting that Eric Garcia's contract ends in 2026, and he may receive a potential extension, while Christensen's situation remains unresolved for now. As for Araújo, he may request to leave if his participation continues to decline, despite renewing his contract until 2031.