FC Barcelona does not rule out signing another center-back in the upcoming summer market. Despite the renewal of Ronald Araujo and the almost certain continuity of Iñigo Martínez, it is likely that Andreas Christensen and Eric García will decide to change clubs in the summer. These two departures force the club to look for at least one more experienced defender for the 2025-26 season, although the club has Sergi Domínguez as an alternative.
Initially, Barça seemed to be well on track to sign Jonathan Tah, with whom the club reached a verbal agreement at the end of 2024. However, the bet on Araujo raises doubts for the experienced German defender, who beyond Hansi Flick's trust does not seem willing to join a club that does not guarantee him a starting position. Furthermore, the Bayer Leverkusen defender has several interesting offers on the table, including one from Bayern Munich.
Murillo Santiago, a center-back with enormous potential
In this sense, in recent days the name of Murillo Santiago has emerged as an alternative for next summer. The Brazilian has shone in the 2024-25 season with the Premier League's great revelation, Nottingham Forest, a club where he has been a starter in 20 of the 21 league matches played so far (he only missed one match due to an adductor issue). At just 22 years old, the South American player has earned a spot in Nuno Espirito Santo's XI, standing out for his physical power and effectiveness in one-on-one situations.
However, the negotiation for the Sao Paulo native will not be easy. Nottingham paid 12 million euros to Corinthians for his transfer in 2023, and his market value has already reached 50 'million' on Transfermarkt. This leads the English club to ask for a minimum of 35-40M€ for Murillo, who hopes to debut next season in the Champions League with the two-time European champions. Jonathan Tah, on the other hand, would arrive at 'zero cost', as his contract expires on June 30.