Barcelona made it clear that they wanted to sell one central defender this summer, and they have now done this with Inigo Martinez. The 34-year-old agreed to sign for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, which means that it is now confirmed that Ronald Arajo and Andreas Christensen will not leave the Spotify Camp Nou in 2025.
Of the two, Christensen was seen as the most likely candidate to leave. The Denmark International had a very tough season 2024-25 because of several injury device, which limited him to only six performances in all competitions. And because his contract ends in 2026, it was decided that he would be the one who would like to sell sports director Deco.
Christensen, however, blocked any exit options, with reference to a strong desire to stay in Barcelona and to fight for his place in Hansi Flick's line-up. He will get this chance, and his contract situation can now also change.
According to the sport, Barcelona is now open to offering Christensen a new contract. It was previously decided that he would not get the chance to extend his stay further than next summer, but the departure of Martinez means that he will have more fame than expected in the next 12 months.
Christensen may not be counted as much as Araujo by some of the higher ups in Barcelona, but there is an argument to say that he is more suitable for Flick's playing style than the Uruguayan. He did well during his limited minutes last season, and now that he is back in full fitness, he is very able to make the position next to Pau Cubarsi his.
Barcelona could do much worse than the renewal of Christensen, although offering a new contract will depend on how he performs during the 2025-26 season.