Barcelona sporting director Deco says that his club are not planning to be active during the January transfer window despite their injury problems.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that his club are not planning to be active during the January transfer window.
The Catalan giants entered the November international break off the back of a 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad, but it has still been an impressive opening few months to the 2024-25 campaign for Hansi Flick‘s side.
Barcelona are top of the La Liga table, six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, while they are sixth in the overall Champions League table, picking up nine points from their four European matches this season.
There have been suggestions that the club are looking to make additions during the January market, but Deco has insisted that “the squad is fine”, with any transfer business on hold until next summer.
“We have been talking since the summer. The squad is fine,” Deco told Mundo Deportivo when asked whether Barcelona would be aiming to sign any players in the middle of the campaign.
Deco rules out any January incomings at Barcelona
“We had the problem of [Marc-Andre] ter Stegen that we had not foreseen but that was covered by another goalkeeper.”
Inaki Pena has become Barcelona’s number one goalkeeper since Ter Stegen picked up a season-ending knee injury, while Wojciech Szczesny was signed as back-up, but the experienced goalkeeper is yet to take to the field.
Barcelona have had severe injury problems this season, but Gavi and Frenkie de Jong have recently returned to fitness, while Deco has revealed that Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo, Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia will also soon be back.
“At the beginning of the season, we knew that we would recover Gavi at some point and Frenkie. We did not expect Araujo and Christensen but they will also recover,” he added.
“Soon we will have Christensen, Araujo, Ferran and Eric available, that will be four more players. I think we have a fairly well-covered squad in all positions.”
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Who else is currently injured for Barcelona?
As mentioned, Ter Stegen suffered a serious knee injury against Villarreal towards the end of September, and the Germany international will not be back on the field until next season.
Marc Bernal is also out for the season with an ACL injury; Ansu Fati and Lamine Yamal have joined the absentee list, while Hector Fort was not involved against Real Sociedad last time out due to a back problem.
There is hope that Yamal will be available for Barcelona’s next match against Celta Vigo on November 23, but Fati is set to be out for at least the next four weeks due to a thigh problem.
Barcelona currently have a number of players away on international duty, and the fitness of those representing their countries will be monitored ahead of the team’s return to action against Celta.
