In the last summer, the strongest area of the FC Barcelona team was the center of the defense. The Blaugranes had a surplus of players in this position, with Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Inigo Martinez, Eric Garcia, Clement Lenglet, and Pau Cubarsi all present in the squad for the two positions in the center of the defense.
However, Ronald Araujo was injured during the Copa America, and Andreas Christensen was also injured at the very start of the season. Jules Kounde had to play mostly as a right-back after Cancelo’s departure, and Clement Lenglet left on loan for Atletico Madrid.
Eric Garcia has been playing more as a midfield pivot this season, and Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi have been the players to play at the center of the defense this season.
While some of the injured players are expected to return to action in the coming few months, Barcelona are still being linked with other defenders in the market. One such defender is the Bayer Leverkusen center-back Jonathan Tah, whose contract with the German club is set to expire next summer.
However, while the Catalans can sign him for free, they will not be able to sign him easily. This is particularly the case as Fichajes reports that Real Madrid are also keeping their sights on the experienced defender, after having tasted success with similar operations in the past for David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger.
The Merengues are looking to bolster their defense after the season-ending injury suffered by Dani Carvajal. Similarly, David Alaba has also not yet returned after his ACL tear, and Eder Militao has also been facing physical problems since last season.
Meanwhile, some Premier League clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, and West Ham United have also made inquiries for the €30m-rated center-back. However, a recent report from SPORT indicated that Bayern Munich and Barcelona are the frontrunners for his signature, despite interest from several Premier League teams who have also reached out to his representatives.