Barcelona in talks to sign central defender from Bundesliga club | OneFootball

In the last 24 hours, it has been confirmed that Barcelona will try to sign a new central defender before the transfer window closes next week. The plan is to add another option that Hansi Flick can use for the 2026-27 season, although there are also moves being made to strengthen that area in La Masia.

This week, it’s been reported that Alvaro Cortes will leave Barcelona, having seen his first team route blocked by this prospective new signing. His exit means that Barca Atletic would be slightly short at centre-back, which is why sporting director Deco is already working to bring in a new face before the deadline.

According to Florian Plettenburg, Barcelona are in talks with Bundesliga side Hamburger SV over a deal for Mikael Baza. The 16-year-old, who also fits the profile that the Catalans want for their first team addition, in that he is a left-sided option, has already expressed a strong desire to join the club, and with only a year left on his contract, an agreement should be able to be reached soon.

Barcelona see Baza as future first team option

Baza is very highly-rated in Germany, and this has prompted Barcelona to make their move now. His contract situation means he is a market opportunity for the Catalans, who plan to use him across Barca Atletic and the U19s if a deal is closed before the transfer window closes.

Bringing in Baza to essentially replace Cortes is a wise move from Barcelona and Deco. They see him with lots of potential to make the step up to the first team in the coming years, and crucially, he is a profile that Flick needs – this means that he could even be in-and-around the senior setup in the next 12 months if he manages to impress while playing in the lower categories.