Barcelona have one week left to activate Christensen’s salary slot for January signing | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have exactly one week, until Friday, 9 January, to submit to La Liga the medical report for Andreas Christensen that would allow them to use 80% of his salary to register a replacement in the winter transfer window, reports SPORT.

The Danish centre-back suffered a partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last December and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months, the threshold set by regulations to activate this emergency mechanism.

There is a willingness within the club to submit the report, aware that the period of absence meets the requirement, despite the player ultimately opting for conservative treatment with the aim of being fit for this summer’s World Cup.

Defensive reinforcement needed

The decision is closely linked to the current needs of the squad. After all, manager Hansi Flick was clear in the press conference ahead of the derby against Espanyol, acknowledging that the team need defensive reinforcements.

“When you look at the back line, with centre-backs and full-backs, we need one more player,” Flick said.

Flick hinted at the possibility of a defensive signing. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)

“But we have to discuss it, and it’s not difficult to sign a quality player in the winter transfer window. I’m confident we can do something, but it has to make sense.”

The partnership of Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin has become established, but Eric Garcia has been playing further forward as a pivot, and Ronald Araujo still has no specific return date despite already training with the group.

As previously reported, though, Barcelona’s sporting department will only take the step of submitting the medical report to La Liga’s Medical Commission if a reinforcement appears on the market who fits both sporting and financial criteria.

Once the report is validated, the Blaugrana would have 20 days to register a replacement using part of Christensen’s salary.

With the clock ticking and the winter transfer window open, 9 January will mark the final deadline for Barcelona to decide whether or not to activate Christensen’s salary slot and move decisively into the market to strengthen their defence.