There is significant uncertainty over Barcelona’s plans for next season when it comes to the backline, with a number of players in tricky contract situations. It seems all but certain that Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez will be part of their squad next season, and that Barcelona will try to shop Andreas Christensen, but the rest remains an unknown.
Recent reports have claimed that Barcelona have reassured another centre-back will be signing with the club in the summer, while Ronald Araujo has assured that he will be at the club for many years, after signing a new contract until 2031. However he reportedly has a €65m release clause in the opening stages of the transfer market.
Ter Stegen and Iñigo Martínez are training with the group. @alexpintanel
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 8, 2025
Another who is uncertain over his future is Eric Garcia. The 24-year-old centre-back has been reinvented as a central midfielder this season, and has grown in importance for Hansi Flick over recent months, after he persuaded him to turn down an exit in both of the last two transfer windows.
Garcia is out of contract in the summer of 2026 though, and with Director of Football Deco determined not to allow players into the final year of the contract, it means that he will either be offered a contract renewal, or put up for sale. Sport explain that Flick has requested that Garcia be renewed. He considered him one of the players that has developed most over the course of the season, and Deco is set to follow through with his wishes. Meanwhile the player is seemingly happy, and has a ‘guaranteed’ place in the squad.
The former Manchester City man, who arrived on a free nearly four years ago, has made 32 appearances this season, scoring three times and assisting once, while also being sent off on one occasion. In total he has accumulated 1,391 minutes of action, but it is particularly noticeable that Garcia has participated in all but one of their last 17 games.
