FC Barcelona has received interest from Saudi Arabia in one of its first team stars and is … More
FC Barcelona has received interest from Saudi Arabia in one of its first team stars and is considering offloading him to the Pro League according to local newspapers SPORT and Mundo Deportivo.
This week has already seen a report from the former publication explaining that Neymar’s former employers Al-Hilal are interested in taking captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen off the Catalans’ hands.
Missing most of 2024/2025 through injury, the German is effectively being ousted from the club because of the expected arrival of Joan Garcia from Espanyol.
RAC 1 reported that President Joan Laporta told the board Ter Stegen will have to leave if Barca activates Garcia’s $28.5 million (€25 million) release clause, which is expected to be done in a matter of days.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick and his staff have also reportedly greenlit Ter Stegen’s potential exit because of a poor attitude and effectively trying to force his way into the first XI for Barca’s Champions League semifinal second leg defeat to Inter Milan despite not being registered for the competition.
Whether Ter Stegen heads to the Middle East or not, one of his closest friends at Barca off the pitch in Andreas Christensen could do.
SPORT reports on interest from Al-Hilal’s bitter rival Al-Nassr in the Dane, and adds that Sporting Director Deco and Laporta are “thinking about opening the door for him”.
While Flick admires the 29-year-old for his versatility in being able to operate as a center back or pivot, Barca has to think about possibly profiting on a player it signed on a free for Chelsea, and who has just over 12 months left on his contract.
Mundo Deportivo says that while Christensen hasn’t shown he wants to leave Barca, there is a feeling that he will want to run down his contract and once more join his next club for nothing once becoming a free agent.
FC Barcelona has a lot of options at center back
FC Barcelona could afford to sell Christensen from a sporting sense because of its wealth of options at center back. With Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez undisputed starters, there’s also Ronald Araujo to consider and Eric Garcia though injuries to some of these players have sometimes left Flick undermanned.
