Barcelona Eyes Dream Signings for January 2026 Transfer Window
Barcelona kick off 2026 as Spain's premier team, yet to preserve this position and compete with Europe's finest clubs in the Champions League, strengthening their roster during the January transfer period should be a genuine priority.
By now, Barcelona's catastrophic financial predicament is widely understood. The club's monetary constraints have limited them to completing merely four permanent acquisitions since Hansi Flick assumed the managerial role in summer 2024.
There's little doubt that Barcelona possess one of the world's most formidable squads when everyone is healthy. The challenge lies in injuries consistently undermining Flick's team this season, and additional fitness concerns—particularly in crucial positions—could substantially damage the club's trophy aspirations as we approach the season's decisive phases.
Following Barcelona's 2–0 victory against Villarreal, Flick acknowledged that he and sporting director Deco would discuss evaluating the team's approach for the forthcoming January transfer period.
Should possibilities emerge, Barcelona must seize the opportunity to strengthen particular areas of their roster during 2026's opening month.
Elite Left Footed Center Back
Midway through the 2025–26 campaign, Barcelona still haven't discovered a solution to replace the gap created by Iñigo Martínez's unexpected move to Al Nassr mere weeks before the season commenced. Considering Barcelona's challenges registering players in August, they chose not to pursue the transfer market for a center back substitute, relying on their internal alternatives instead.
While this may have been the prudent financial decision, Barcelona's defensive core clearly emerges as the squad's most glaring vulnerability this season. Martínez served as the cornerstone of Flick's assertive and daring defensive structure, and no player has managed to match his caliber since his exit.
Compounding the situation, Ronald Araújo's decision-making errors persist, and he has been absent from the club since November addressing personal matters. Additionally, Andreas Christensen suffered a partial ACL tear before the year's final match and faces an expected four-month recovery period.
Gerard Martín's evolution from reserve left back to starting center back represents one of Barcelona's season highlights. Nevertheless, he remains an unpolished talent adapting to his new position, and his emergence also perfectly demonstrates Barcelona's shallow depth at this spot.
Recent developments have Barcelona walking a tightrope, as another center back injury could prove catastrophic. If the Catalans decide to explore the market, securing a center back must represent the top priority.
Key Targets
Barcelona aren't simply connected with ordinary defenders; some of the world's finest center backs have been positioned squarely within the Catalans' sphere of interest.
Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni has remained a coveted target for Barcelona, a player who would instantly become the team's premier defender and ideal Martínez successor. Barcelona have allegedly maintained contact with the player's representatives, and his fondness for the club is apparent—he praised Lamine Yamal on social platforms and recently engaged with posts connecting him to a Barcelona transfer.
Borussia Dortmund center back Nico Schlotterbeck represents a comparable target, naturally suited to partner Pau Cubarsí on the left. However, both the German and Bastoni would probably command an enormous transfer sum, making it impractical for Barça to pursue them in January—circumstances could shift next summer.
What Barcelona requires most urgently in January is defensive reinforcement, so pursuing less prominent talents like Palmeiras's Luiz Benedetti, who is developing into one of Brazil's most promising young defenders, might prove a smarter investment.
Yet the optimal available choice would be recalling Héctor Fort from his highly successful loan stint at Elche. The La Masia product would provide right back coverage, enabling both Eric García and Jules Koundé to fill in at center back when Flick considers it necessary.
A Striker Alternative
With Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski—Barcelona's co-leading scorers of 2025—Flick possesses two solid options to spearhead the attack for the season's remainder. However, Lewandowski approaches his contract's final six months with the club and will reach 38 next summer.
The experienced Polish striker is well into his concluding chapter among Europe's elite and has begun displaying signs of decline. Torres has improved dramatically over the past year, yet he remains an unreliable striker and Flick has shown reluctance to entrust him with the attacking responsibility.
Consequently, Barcelona might consider accelerating their timeline to acquire a young striker with tremendous potential, possibly their future attacking cornerstone. It's highly improbable that a January attacker acquisition would significantly impact the remaining season, but Barcelona could establish their future foundation.
Lewandowski and Torres will continue as the primary two choices, but there's no concealing that the striker position represents a major priority for Barça in upcoming transfer windows.
Key Targets
Whether it's president Joan Laporta publicly hinting at an Erling Haaland pursuit previously, or the persistent connections to Julian Álvarez and recently Harry Kane, Barcelona appears eager to secure a headline striker signing. Still, it's practically impossible to imagine such a transaction occurring in January.
The club might instead concentrate on less spectacular alternatives like RB Salzburg's 21-year-old forward Karim Konaté. An ACL injury forced Konaté to miss 2025's first 11-plus months, but his 33 career goals across 67 Salzburg appearances previously attracted Barça's attention. The Catalans aren't unfamiliar with investing in young talents recovering from extended injuries, with departing winger Roony Bardghji serving as the most recent example.
Perhaps the most fascinating possibility is La Liga's 2025–26 revelation Karl Etta Eyong. The 22-year-old Cameroon international fully intends to secure his future destination in January and carries a €30 million ($34.6 million) release clause. Nevertheless, having already represented Levante and Valencia this season, his Barcelona arrival would need to wait until summer to satisfy FIFA's regulations.
A player rarely discussed but undoubtedly possessing the capability of becoming Barcelona's future striker is Moroccan talent Yassir Zabiri. The 20-year-old claimed the Golden Ball in the 2025 U-20 World Cup, netting twice in the final against Argentina to secure Morocco's magnificent victory in Chile.
Zabiri has scored four goals in his recent four matches for Famalicão in Portugal's Primeira Liga, gradually earning increased playing time. His ability is undeniable and his potential limitless, making him an extremely attractive prospect Barcelona should consider pursuing in January.