Barcelona want to sign a new centre-back in the summer, but that may not be the only new defender added to Hansi Flick’s squad before the start of the 2026-27 season. This will almost certainly be the case if Joao Cancelo is not signed permanently, but even an agreement is reached with Al Hilal, there is scope for further reinforcements.
Cancelo has been a revelation on the left side of defence since joining in January, but Barcelona have struggled on the opposite flank. It has been a desperately disappointing season for starting right-back Jules Kounde, who has failed to get anywhere close to the form he showed during the 2024-25 campaign.
Barcelona have concerns about Kounde, and given that they have no natural backup, there are many chances for a right-back to be signed this summer. One option that is already being explored by sporting director Deco is Andrei Ratiu, who is a player that has been on the Portuguese’s radar for some time.
In 2025, Deco held talks with Ratiu’s representatives, although there was no significant moves made towards signing the Rayo Vallecano defender. 12 months on, he’s once again emerging as a key target for Barcelona, whose sporting department consider him to be an “interesting player profile”.
Ratiu can be signed for €25m
Barcelona have a good relationship with Rayo president Raul Martin Presa, and they could use this to steal a march on the other clubs that have Ratiu as a possible option for the summer. However, it’s believed that Los Franjirrojos could look to hold out for the Romania international’s €25m release clause, which could complicate things for the Catalans.
Barcelona want to spend big on signing a new centre-back and striker, and given their well-documented financial woes, they’re unlikely to be able to pay much more for further reinforcements. As such, it could be tricky for Ratiu to be signed this summer.
