Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Manchester City centre-back Nathan Aké, although the English club’s refusal to consider a loan for the Dutchman could become a major obstacle.
Initially, Barça were not expected to be active in the next transfer market, but Andreas Christensen’s serious injury reduced the depth in defense for Hansi Flick and forced the club to return to the market.
Due to Barcelona’s delicate financial situation, the priority is to sign a central defender on a short-term loan, and SPORT has confirmed their interest in Aké.
Aké would be open to leaving Manchester City in January, having started only once in the Premier League this season. However, Pep Guardiola is unwilling to allow a temporary departure for a player he considers an important substitute, which has caused frustration at the Catalan club.
Barcelona could take advantage of Christensen’s long-term injury to deregister him and free up a significant portion of his salary, allowing them to register a new signing and comply with LaLiga’s financial regulations. For this reason, a loan move is the preferred option.
Aké perfectly fits the profile of defender that Barcelona is looking for and would immediately become the main candidate to partner Pau Cubarsi in the center of defense.
If Manchester City doesn’t soften its stance, it’s difficult to imagine the deal going through. Even so, Barcelona is waiting patiently while exploring other options.
Barcelona receives an offer from a Chelsea defender who is out of playing time.
Axel Disasi has not played a single minute for Chelsea this season.
Earlier this week, reports emerged indicating that Barcelona received an offer for Chelsea center-back Axel Disasi to bolster their defense. The Frenchman is not in Enzo Maresca’s plans and has spent the entire season playing with the London club’s Under-21 team.
Chelsea are openly looking to offload Disasi, and Barcelona’s need for a centre-back makes him a likely natural destination.
However, Disasi can only leave Chelsea via a permanent transfer, as the club has already used all of its international loan slots. Unlike the Aké situation, where Barcelona could try to convince City to accept a loan, with Disasi the only option is a permanent transfer, making this alternative even less viable.
The truth is that Barcelona continues to explore options to reinforce the center of its defense, and the first weeks of January, in which it will seek to defend its Spanish Super Cup title, could be decisive in defining the intensity of that search.
FC Barcelona is moving forward with the winter transfer market and the names of defenders to bolster Hansi Flick’s back line are starting to appear: while the Catalan club is preparing to make an offer for Marc Guéhi, Nathan Aké and Axel Disasi have been offered to the FCB board.
Laporta, Deco, and Flick’s decision is clear: no signings unless the player possesses the necessary quality to play immediately and compete for a starting position. It was in this context that the two international players, who both represented the Netherlands and France in the last World Cup respectively, were offered to the club.
Aké hasn’t seen much playing time at Manchester City and will be looking for consistent minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup to remain a key player for Ronald Koeman, the former Barcelona player and manager. He can play as a center-back or full-back, providing Flick with options when needed. Furthermore, even though he’s not playing for Guardiola’s team, his quality is undeniable.
Disasi is one of the players suffering from Chelsea’s squad overload and will look to leave to find a place in the team and gain more playing time. He previously spent time on loan at Aston Villa, and Barcelona would compete with AC Milan to sign him in this transfer window, should Hansi Flick approve his arrival.
Pedri is excited: “I’d like to play with Messi again”
During election season and the transfer window, all sorts of names come to light. The Argentine star’s name is not just any name for Barcelona, as he has made history and is revered by the fans. Rumors of a return to give FCB a proper farewell have gained traction, and the Canary Islander didn’t shy away from the topic: “Of course I’d like to play with him again, without a doubt. He’s the best ever and he helped me a lot during the year we played together.”