Barcelona dealt blow to chances of sealing defender deal

Originally posted on Football Espana | By John Menzies | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 7:09 AM ET

Barcelona have set their sights on signing a top-level central defender in the summer, with the hope being to secure a market opportunity. Their financial woes mean that a big fee cannot be paid, and this is a reason for their interest in England international Marc Guehi.

Guehi is set to leave Crystal Palace when his contract expires at the end of the season, and Barcelona are one of several clubs in the race for his signature . Real Madrid, Liverpool and Crystal Palace have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old, who is poised to make a decision on his future.

As per Sport, Guehi plans to have decided his next club by the end of next month. This is bad news for Barcelona, who are not yet able to know how much they can offer him, given that they are yet to know their salary limit for the 2026-27 season.

Barcelona have been on a reduced salary limit in recent seasons due to their financial problems, but a return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule, which is hoped to happen in the coming months, would give them more leeway. However, they cannot afford to commit to a big contract for Guehi until they know what their exact number is, which is why they do not want to decide his future anytime soon.

Barcelona looking at other centre-back candidates

It’s expected that Barcelona will miss out on signing Guehi , which means they have one less target to look at ahead of next summer’s transfer window. They have noted the likes of Nico Schlotterbeck and Marcos Senesi as possible options, but the final decision on who to go for is likely to be dictated by their ability to spend money – with that likely to be in the hands of La Liga.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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