Barcelona pressing forward with defender’s renewal despite Deco’s doubts

Laporta decided back in December that Barça should extend the defender’s contract after he suffered another serious setback.

Laporta’s stance was driven partly by loyalty. Christensen has always been viewed internally as a highly professional player with an impeccable attitude, and the president-elect did not want the club to abandon him during another difficult injury period.

Meanwhile, manager Hansi Flick has also strongly backed Christensen’s continuity. The German coach considers the Dane one of the best defenders in the squad when fully fit.

Flick values Christensen’s tactical intelligence, calmness in possession and versatility, especially his ability to operate both as a centre-back and as a defensive midfielder.

Deco has doubts

Injury problems creating doubts. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Despite the support from Laporta and Flick, sporting director Deco still has reservations about Christensen’s physical reliability.

Barcelona are aware that the defender is especially sensitive to pain and prone to muscular discomfort, issues that have followed him throughout his career.

Even so, those problems did not prevent him from succeeding at elite clubs such as Chelsea and Barcelona, nor from becoming a key figure for Denmark’s national team.

The next move belongs to Christensen himself. Barcelona’s offer includes reduced financial terms and only guarantees one additional season initially. The defender must now decide whether to accept the proposal or explore opportunities elsewhere.