Barca’s Timed Tightrope: Replacing Christensen Before the January Window Closes
26 December 2025
Barcelona enters a complicated phase of winter transfer planning as the Denmark international Andreas Christensen's four-month absence becomes the most likely scenario, opening the door for the club to use part of his wages to sign a replacement.
Under La Liga budgeting rules, Barcelona has 25 natural days to file an exception allowing them to fund a portion of Christensen's salary for a replacement, a deadline that ends on January 15.
Even though the law theoretically permits using 80 percent of the injured player's salary, the late-season timing reduces that figure to roughly 50–60 percent, equating to about €5.2–€6.5 million of the defender's €13 million annual wage.
After submitting the file, the club must wait at least three days for the medical committee’s report in La Liga, meaning the closest approval date would be January 18.
From the moment approval arrives, Barcelona will have 20 days to sign a replacement with funding drawn from Christensen’s wages, leaving roughly two weeks to act before the January window closes in Spain on February 2.
Signing a free agent remains an option after that date, but carries the risk of missing registration deadlines for European competitions, as UEFA’s general deadline to register new players would be February 5.
In short, every delayed day reduces Barca’s maneuvering room in an already tight winter market, while the replacement for Christensen hinges on speed, a clear medical verdict, and timely investment of those funds. If patience were a player, Barca’s transfer plan would be leading the league in drama. In Barca's market, even a budget sneeze costs a transfer fee.
