Barcelona contact 28-year-old ace to discuss contract, progress slowed down due to injury | OneFootball

There is no still clear timeline for the return of Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen who has been sidelined since August with an injury.

Reports earlier this week suggested that the Danish centre-half could be back in training next month, which would mean he could be back in action in January.

Contract talks initiated

In the meantime, SPORT reports that Barcelona, through director Deco, have initiated early discussions about a possible contract renewal for Andreas Christensen.

The 28-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer of 2026 and Barça are keen to avoid the prospect of letting important players enter the final year of their respective contracts.

Christensen’s contract expires in 2026. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

As such, the renewals of Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, and Frenkie de Jong are already being worked upon, along with that of Inaki Pena.

Now, contacts have been made with Christensen about a possible extension, although there has not been much progress on the matter owing to him being out of action due to injury.

The former Chelsea ace has a fight on his hands to reclaim his spot in the starting XI given that Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez have both been exceptional so far this season.

Furthermore, Araujo is expected to return before Christensen and will also push for a starting berth, meaning the latter will have a tough time breaking into Hansi Flick’s team.

While he would be an option for the defensive pivot position, the emergence of Marc Casado and the presence of players like Frenkie de Jong and Eric Garcia could affect his game-time in that role as well.

Whether that influences his decision about a new contract will be interesting to see.