Barcelona’s Backline Shake-Up: Benfica’s Tomás Araújo Emerges as Christensen’s Stopgap
28 December 2025
Barcelona eye a defensive reinforcement as Christensen goes out
A Spanish sports daily reports a fresh name has entered Barcelona's defensive shortlist.
Danish centre-back Andreas Christensen tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are seeking a new center-back to bolster their back line in January.
The paper links 23-year-old Tomás Araújo of Benfica, under contract until 2029, as a potential Barca target.
Araújo’s agent, Ali Barata, told Fabrizio Romano that the defender has the traits coaches want, including playing in high defensive lines, and could be in high demand.
Barata also suggested that several big clubs could try to sign Tomás again in the summer.
Barata argues that Araújo's physical and technical qualities suit teams that play Barcelona's attacking style.
Araújo stands about 1.87m tall and is primarily a center-back, a position Barca sees as a future priority.
Being right-footed, he is not a perfect fit for the left-centre-back spot used by Barca's current line, which has forced coach Hans Flick to move the left-back to centre-back on occasion.
Last season Araújo played 44 matches for Benfica across all competitions, totaling more than 3,600 minutes, with one goal and three assists.
This season he has appeared in 21 matches, totaling 1,232 minutes and one goal.
Barca has also been linked recently with Benfica veteran Nicolás Otamendi, the Argentine international who, even at 37, remains a key defender and captain for Benfica.
With Otamendi's contract nearing its end, he is floated as a winter option to strengthen the squad.
Mundo Deportivo notes that Barcelona has not made a final decision on January activity to replace Christensen and has until January 15 to demonstrate to La Liga's medical committee that the injury is long-term, which would allow signing a new player using up to 80% of Christensen's salary.
In short, Barça faces a careful calculation of timing, cost, and impact as the window opens.
Punchline 1: If Barca signs Araújo, they’ll finally have a defender who defends the idea of a clean sheet. Punchline 2: And if Otamendi joins, the backline might need a translator to explain that a cross is not a free ticket to glory.
