Atletico Madrid weighing up January move for Barcelona defender – report | OneFootball

Barcelona’s defence still does not have a single clear-cut starting combination, with Hansi Flick regularly changing Pau Cubarsi’s partner based on the nature of the opponent.

While Eric Garcia and Ronald Araujo have seen relatively regular minutes in that respect, however, Andreas Christensen has not been as lucky and is still struggling for minutes.

Given that the player’s contract runs out next summer, his future at the club is unclear. Barcelona have not made a decision over his renewal, but it is not ruled out that he is allowed to leave as a free agent.

Interest from within Spain

As relayed by Fichajes in a recent report, Atletico Madrid are keeping a close eye on Christensen and do not rule him out as an emergency target for January, given the defensive crisis they are facing.

Los Rojiblancos have been underperforming at the back in recent games and see the need for a new experienced option to lead the back-line.

On Atletico Madrid’s radars. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

With Mateu Alemany recently arriving on the administrative scene, Barcelona’s Christensen has emerged as a serious target.

While the veteran’s contract does indeed run out only in the summer, Atletico Madrid do not rule out signing him in January if their situation continues as it is, and if Barcelona negotiate a reasonable fee. They see him as a risk-free transfer who can be incorporated immediately.

As it stands, Barcelona have not offered the defender any renewal, and his performance and fitness will determine his future. If the club are fixated on selling him, however, January will be a good time to avoid losing him on a free transfer in June.

All eyes now lie on Flick and how much of a role he provides the veteran with in the coming weeks. Currently, however, the player is still recovering from illness and will thus likely be unavailable for the weekend’s Clasico.