Three central defenders linked with Barcelona

Kolkata, December 21: Barcelona have fallen off their crest over the last few years and the decline has been quite rapid over the last couple of seasons.

The Blaugrana are 16 points behind their arch-rivals Real Madrid and are not even in top four at the moment.

They have also been knocked out from the Champions League in the group stage and will now be featuring in the Europa League. Xavi, their newly-appointed manager, has a monumental task in his hands in he has to take his beloved club back to where he belonged when he used to play for them.

It is well known that Barcelona are struggling financially right now and therefore, they cannot afford to spend a fortune but it is understood that Xavi is hell bent in improving his backline during the winter transfer window. They have already identified some targets at central defence as per reports and here, we will take a look at three of them.

Niklas Sule - Bayern Munich

Sule has been a regular at the heart of the Bayern Munich defence this season under Julian Nagelsmann and it is quite understandable that he is seen as a key player at the Allianz Arena. The 26-year-old also has a solid personal relationship with the now Bayern boss who previously managed him 1899 Hoffenheim. Therefore, it is not clear why he has not yet committed his long term future to the Bavarian giants and with his current deal set to expire in six months, rumours of a possible departure is evident. Barcelona are reportedly interested in the 26-year-old and could launch a bid for the German international in January.

Marc Bartra - Real Betis

A former teammate of Xavi at Barcelona, Bartra, departed the club in 2016 for Real Betis and has done really well for the Green and Whites. He is a key member of the La Liga side who currently sit third in the La Liga table. Manuel Pellegrini is reportedly a huge admirer of the 30-year-old but might have to look for a replacement of his star defender with Xavi looking to reunite with Bartra at Camp Nou. A move back to his boyhood club under the management of his former teammate and club legend could be too good an offer for Bartra to refuse at an age of 30.

Pau Torres - Villareal

Torres is arguably the finest all-round Spanish central defender right now and it is about time for him to make a step up from Villareal. The likes of Manchester United and Chelsea have been strongly linked with a move for the 24-year-old in the past and it is understood that they still maintain an interest in the left-footed ball playing defender. Barcelona might have to break the bank and stave off a lot of competition if they have to bring Torres to Camp Nou but it would be a deal that can completely transform their backline.