Barcelona is experiencing an internal debate before finalizing any new signing during the winter transfer window, amid the absence of Andreas Christensen and the situation of Ronald Araújo, without any rush to make a final decision regarding the suitable player to strengthen the defensive line.

According to the newspaper "Mundo Deportivo," coach Hans Flick's statements before the Espanyol derby clearly reflected his position, as he confirmed the team's need for an additional defender, but on the condition that the signing is well-considered and represents a real addition, especially given the difficulties of the January market and the restrictions imposed on Barcelona due to Financial Fair Play rules.

The newspaper indicated that this approach enjoys consensus within the club's sporting management, which does not want to repeat a previous experience such as signing Colombian Jason Murillo in January 2019, who participated in a limited number of matches despite coming to compensate for significant absences at that time.

Despite the many names presented to Barcelona by player agents, the club still prefers to wait, especially since the official procedures related to Christensen's absence, expected to last at least four months, have not yet been completed, in addition to the unclear situation regarding goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, whose potential departure could affect Financial Fair Play margins.

The newspaper mentioned that the closest option, if a deal is completed, would be signing a center-back such as Nicolás Otamendi, Stefan de Vrij, or Marcos Senesi, or a full-back like João Cancelo.

On the other hand, there is a clear agreement within the club to exclude the idea of signing a dedicated defensive midfielder solely to move Eric Garcia back to the center-back position, as the defensive midfield area is currently covered by Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Casado, and Bernal, with Gavi's return expected in February.

The Spanish newspaper also pointed out that the option of signing a versatile midfielder, capable of also playing as a center-back, remains on the table among the possible scenarios during the winter transfer window.