Barcelona remain on the lookout for reinforcements in defence – report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have turned their attention toward bolstering their defensive line, after having heavily bolstered their attack.

This report comes from journalist Achraf Ben Ayad, who claims that the La Liga champions remain alert to the possibility of strengthening their backline heading into the new season.

Heavy attacking investments

Earlier today, reports claimed that Barcelona successfully finalised a agreement to sign highly-rated Belgian winger Jesse Bisiwu from Club Brugge.

While the imminent official confirmation of Bisiwu underlines Barcelona’s commitment to recruiting elite young talent, it follows a sequence of massive investments in attack.

The club previously completed a blockbusting €70 million deal to bring in Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, whilst also securing an agreement to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi.

Adeyemi will arrive from Dortmund. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Blaugrana continue to actively advance negotiations for high-profile forward target: Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.

Defensive stability cannot be ignored

With the frontline heavily reinforced, sporting director Deco and manager Hansi Flick are now turning their attention towards bolstering the backline and addressing a key issue in the squad.

Despite boasting a statistically formidable backline last season, depth concerns have forced the board to rethink their transfer strategy.

Apart from moving to secure full-back Joao Cancelo on a permanent €10 million transfer from Al-Hilal, Barça’s senior hierarchy has largely neglected elite defensive acquisitions this summer.

Flick’s blueprint relies heavily on the versatility of existing assets like Gerard Martin and Eric Garcia. However, internally, the coaching staff is still thinking about adding an elite left-sided central defender to firmly secure long-term structural stability.

Possible targets

To remedy this, Barcelona are now exploring the market for more defensive additions. The club’s financial recovery means they can now sanction a major bid if the right profile becomes available before the window shuts.

Cristian Romero could be an option for Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan had been heavily linked in the past, but Barça decided to walk away from the deal.

More recently, names such as Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, both of Tottenham Hotspur, have been credited with interest.

There has also been tentative interest in RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, although any move could end up being out of reach due to his price.

Luka Vuskovic had also been on the Catalans’ radars, but is set to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion. So, it will be interesting to see who Barcelona decide to go after in their pursuit of a new defender.