Barcelona make U-turn on contract stance for defender

Barcelona made it clear that they wanted to sell one central defender this summer, and they have now done so with Inigo Martinez. The 34-year-old has agreed to sign for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, meaning that it is now confirmed that Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen will not be leaving the Spotify Camp Nou in 2025.

Of the two, Christensen was seen as the most likely candidate to depart. The Denmark international had a very tough 2024-25 season because of multiple injury setbacks, which limited him to just six appearances across all competitions. And with his contract expiring in 2026, it was decided that he would be the one that sporting director Deco would look to sell.

However, Christensen blocked any exit opportunities, citing a strong desire to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place in Hansi Flick’s line-up. He will be given this chance, and his contract situation could also now change.

As per Sport, Barcelona are now open to offering Christensen a new contract. Previously, it was decided that he would not be given the chance to extend his stay beyond next summer, but the departure of Martinez means that he will have more prominence than expected over the next 12 months.

Christensen may not be counted on as much as Araujo by some of the higher-ups at Barcelona, but there is an argument to say that he is more suited to Flick’s style of play than the Uruguayan. He did well during his limited minutes last season, and now that he is back to full fitness, he is very capable of making the position alongside Pau Cubarsi his own.

Barcelona could do a lot worse than renewing Christensen, although the offering of a new contract will depend on how he performs during the 2025-26 season.