Barcelona are actively assessing their defensive options ahead of the new year, with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi and Aston Villa star Pau Torres both emerging as prominent names on the club’s shortlist.
According to reports from Sport, the La Liga champions are increasingly focused on reinforcing the heart of their defense as injuries and long-term planning concerns begin to stack up.
Both Guéhi and Torres have been ever-present figures for their respective clubs.
Guéhi has developed into one of the Premier League’s most reliable centre-backs at Crystal Palace, combining leadership with composure in possession, while Torres has been a key component of Aston Villa’s rise under Unai Emery, offering left-footed balance and intelligent positioning at the back.
Barcelona have identified their defensive targets
Their consistency has not gone unnoticed, and Barcelona are understood to see both as players capable of making an immediate impact at the highest level.
Barcelona’s renewed focus on the centre-back market has been accelerated by a serious injury to Andreas Christensen, which has left the Catalan side short on dependable options in central defense.
While the club are aware that signing a top-level defender in the January window is difficult, both financially and logistically, internal discussions have acknowledged that reinforcements may be necessary sooner rather than later.
Alongside Guéhi and Torres, Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund is also being monitored, reflecting Barcelona’s desire to keep multiple options open depending on availability and cost.
Guéhi is leading Barca’s shortlist
Of all the names under consideration, Guéhi is reportedly the one most liked by Deco.
Crucially, Guéhi has just over six months remaining on his contract at Palace, making his situation particularly intriguing from a market perspective.
However, any move in January appears highly unlikely. Palace manager Oliver Glasner has already confirmed that Guéhi will not sign a contract extension, but he has also been clear that the defender will not be allowed to leave next month.