Published on 4 Nov 2022 7:32 am (UK Time)
Barcelona Defender Andreas Christensen is close to returning from injury
Barcelona is experiencing a turbulent season as they have recently bowed out of the Champions League and finished third behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in their group. Their problems this season are going from bad to worse as several key players such as Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Sergi Roberto, Jules Kounde, Memphis Depay, and Eric Garcia have all been sidelined due to injuries.
With these players sidelined it has been a difficult task for Xavi to select a starting eleven however there might be some good news for the club as Andreas Christiansen is slated to return for selection after gaining his medical clearance. The 26-year-old defender had sustained an ankle injury during the away Champions League tie against Inter Milan and since then he has been unavailable for selections.
The Danish international completed a free transfer to Barcelona over the summer and since then he has made over 6 appearances for the club. Xavi would be eager to have him back in the squad as soon as possible as major injury woes this season has given him a massive selection headache.
Update on De Jong situation
The transfer saga revolving around Frankie De Jong has had its own twists and turns as different reports were emerging that the Dutch international was looking to seal a move away from Barcelona as the star was in a difficult situation.
However, according to SPORT De Jong is not looking to leave Barcelona anytime soon as he wants to be a part of the team and his dream is to stay and succeed at Barcelona.
The Spanish giants had a very busy summer transfer window as they roped in key players to strengthen their squad, while they splashed €153 million in the summer they thought it would be necessary to balance the books hence they were keen on selling a few players as well.
Barcelona were open to selling De Jong in the summer and they agreed on an €80 million deal with Machester United which would see the midfielder move to Old Trafford however the move had fallen apart in the last minute as De Jong camp refused the move. Several clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea had approached De Jong’s representatives over a move however there hasn’t been a breakthrough so far as De Jong remains adamant about not leaving Barcelona.
Initially, with De Jong not being a part of the starting eleven at the beginning of the season, there were reports emerging that he seems unsettled and that a move away from Barcelona could on the cards however the situation now has changed as the Dutch international is being included in the starting eleven and his recent performance against Villareal has left Xavi talking about his performance.
“Frenkie was very good. He really enjoyed the game. He understood it very well, and he played a very complete game. I’m happy for him.” Xavi
It will be interesting to see how things would turn out going forward as Barcelona can change their stance here and if they receive an astronomical offer for De Jong then they might consider it and force the player to move.
Barcelona is monitoring Ruben Neves
Barcelona is looking to sign a versatile midfielder who can be the long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets. The 34-year-old’s contract with Barcelona will run out by the summer of 2023 and with there being no talks of a contract extension a move away from the Spanish giants is looming large.
With the aim of finding players with a similar playing style to Busquets, Barcelona identified Martin Zubimendi as a primary target however plotting a move for the Spanish international wouldn’t materialize as he has inked a long-term contract with Real Sociedad.
The Spanish giants are now monitoring Ruben Neves as a potential replacement. During a recent interview, the Portuguese international was asked about Barcelona and he said this
“Who wouldn’t want to play for Barcelona?
“If you ask in general, all the players want to play for Barca, one of the best clubs in the world. It’s a privilege for me to be associated with this team” Ruben Neves
The Catalans would consider making a move in the January transfer window, especially with Neves expressing his interest in playing for Barcelona however plotting a move for the Wolves talisman wouldn’t be easy as the Spanish giants would face stiff competition from other clubs as well and Wolves would try their best to fend off any interest shown towards their star player.
