How Barcelona’s defensive injury crisis is reshaping the January market

Barcelona’s antiaircraft wounded situation — which already included Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia — deepened connected Sunday erstwhile Xavi Espart suffered syndesmosis ligament harm to his close ankle during the 2-1 El Clasico decision to Real Madrid, ruling him retired for astir 7 weeks. The wounded has contiguous consequences for Barcelona’s antiaircraft options, but it besides threatens to complicate 2 of the astir intimately watched January transportation storylines: Alejandro Balde’s imaginable determination to Manchester United and any imaginable merchantability of Kounde.

Espart was wounded aft a situation by Aurelien Tchouameni. With Kounde and Garcia some already sidelined, Hansi Flick was forced to usage Balde disconnected the bench, with Joao Cancelo switching to the close broadside having started connected the left. The improvisation illustrated the standard of the problem.

Barcelona transportation news: however the situation affects the Balde situation

Manchester United had identified Balde arsenic a starring people for the January model to code their ongoing problems astatine left-back. The Catalan defender had fallen down successful the hierarchy astatine Nou Camp, and a indebtedness oregon imperishable departure looked plausible. The wounded concern present changes the calculation for Flick.

If Balde takes vantage of his accrued opportunities to execute well, the lawsuit for keeping him done the wintertime becomes considerably stronger. A defender who was a campaigner for merchantability connected the backmost of constricted crippled clip looks considerably antithetic erstwhile helium is playing regularly. United’s January plans successful this country whitethorn request to beryllium reconsidered.

Barcelona transportation news: the Kounde complication for Chelsea and Liverpool

The antiaircraft situation besides affects the Kounde situation. Recent reports suggested Barcelona were prepared to fto Kounde permission successful January, with Chelsea and Liverpool among those tracking the French defender. The lack of Garcia and Espart — some susceptible of covering right-back — changes the arithmetic. With Kounde present the lone earthy enactment for that presumption erstwhile helium recovers from his ain absence, the statement for allowing a wintertime merchantability is considerably weaker. Barcelona whitethorn beryllium pushed to support him done January careless of incoming interest.

Flick acknowledged the extent contented openly aft the Clasico. ‘We bash not person galore options — we indispensable negociate with what we have,’ helium said. ‘We whitethorn person to telephone connected reserve and academy players.’ Guillem Victor, a regular successful the Barcelona B squad astatine right-back, has been mentioned arsenic a short-term option.