Barcelona add Leeds old boy to emergency centre-back shortlist as seven targets ranked | OneFootball

Barcelona are scrambling for an emergency centre-back signing after a serious injury for Andreas Christensen and reports in Spain have named seven options on their radar, including a former Premier League trio.

Ex-Chelsea defender Christensen will be sidelined for months, which has led to Barcelona reassessing their plans for a quiet January. Budget constraints will force them to look at short-term reinforcements, but their options don’t seem to be limited.

TEAMtalk already revealed this week that Barcelona are in the mix for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, who is out of contract at the end of the season and so could be available at a discounted rate.

But Senesi isn’t the only defender being discussed internally at Barcelona, with Mundo Deportivo outlining six other players on their radar.

Their preferred profile is a defender who plays on the left (but doesn’t necessarily have to be left-footed) and can boast experience and leadership. Furthermore, in an ideal world, they want a Spanish speaker, to be able to adapt quickly.

Along with Senesi, the players linked include three already in LaLiga: Real Betis’ Diego Llorente, Rayo Vallecano’s Luiz Felipe and Villarreal’s Juan Foyth.

Ex-Leeds man Llorente and former Spurs man Foyth aren’t the only one-time Premier League players on the list, with Nicolas Otamendi (previously of Manchester City, now captaining Benfica) also mentioned.

The other options in contention are Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij and Union Berlin’s Diogo Leite.

Barcelona’s decision could define their second half of their season, so who should they prioritise?

Marcos Senesi

There’s a lot of sense behind Barcelona’s interest in Senesi and it’s the Bournemouth defender they should be prioritising right now, if the price is right.

Senesi is left-footed and hails from Argentina, so his tactical and linguistic assets tick the boxes for Barcelona.

And at 28, he has the ideal level of experience for Barcelona while still being at an age where he could be useful for a few years.

They must be wary of rival interest from Atletico Madrid, though.

Juan Foyth

If Barcelona want a ready-made option, then Foyth might be the pick of the bunch from the players already active in LaLiga.

He doesn’t fit the left-sided requirements, but can play as a right-back just as comfortably as at centre-back, so could still offer cover in a second position to ease the burden on Jules Kounde.

Foyth will turn 28 in January, so should be at the peak of his career.

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Diego Llorente

The verdict on Llorente in his Leeds days was mixed, to say the least, but he has since proven himself at European level, first with Roma and now with Real Betis.

A move to Barcelona would be interesting for Llorente, given he was a Real Madrid academy graduate. It would also enable him to reunite with ex-Leeds teammate, Raphinha.

Given how he has restored his reputation in European football, the 32-year-old would be a decent candidate, but he is currently nursing an injury that will keep him unavailable until mid-January.

Stefan de Vrij

De Vrij has been frequently linked with moving on from Inter, where he has played since 2018, but could this be the year it actually happens?

The Dutchman is due to be out of contract at the end of the season and at the age of 33 boasts plenty of experience.

However, he has been more accustomed to playing in a back three throughout his time in Italy.

Diogo Leite

The lesser-known name among Barcelona’s seven-strong list, Leite left Porto for Union Berlin in 2022.

About to turn 27, he has never been capped at senior level by Portugal, but has reached triple figures of Bundesliga appearances.

Leite is left-footed and due to be out of contract at the end of the season, which is why he may have piqued Barcelona’s interest.

Luiz Felipe

Luiz Felipe was on the move twice in 2025, first leaving Al-Ittihad for Marseille and then joining Rayo Vallecano in January.

It marked a return to LaLiga for the Brazil-born Italy international after the 14 months he previously spent with Real Betis.

Still only 28, he has had some injury issues of his own which have restricted his gametime.

Nicolas Otamendi

The eldest option, Otamendi turns 38 in February and it’s been a decade since he last played in LaLiga for Valencia.

He still features heavily for Benfica, so it would be hard to take him away. Indeed, the Argentine himself may find little reason for change at this stage of his career.

The former Manchester City man does have the skillset to play as a right-footed, left-sided centre-back, but isn’t likely to be gettable for Barcelona.