Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has refused to close the door on an exit for Andreas Christensen before the end of the January transfer window amid claims that both Manchester United and Juventus are keen on his services.
Christensen, 28, has only played once for Barcelona this season, missing the majority of the campaign to date due to an Achilles problem, but he has been back on the bench for the team's last two matches.
The Denmark international is highly-rated at Barcelona, making 74 appearances across his first two seasons at Camp Nou, but he is currently down the pecking order when it comes to the spots in the middle of defence and in midfield.
Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia are all ahead of him when it comes to the centre-back roles, while Marc Casado has had a breakthrough campaign in the holding midfield position.
Speaking during his press conference on Saturday, Flick refused to rule out a departure for Christensen in the latter stages of the January transfer window.
"He came back from a serious injury and is doing very well in training, although there are players ahead of him. We know his quality and we'll see what happens," said Flick.
© Imago
Man United, Juventus 'both keen' on Christensen
According to SPORT, both Man United and Juventus have expressed an interest in signing Christensen before the end of the January transfer window, with a loan deal for the defender possible.
Juventus made an attempt to sign Araujo from Barcelona earlier this month, but the Uruguay international has since signed a new long-term contract with the Catalan outfit.
Man United, meanwhile, are said to be attentive to the situation, with the Red Devils believed to have a long-term interest in the Dane, who impressed during his time in the Premier League with Chelsea.
Christensen represented the Blues on 161 occasions, including 93 outings in the Premier League, and he is believed to be open to the idea of returning to England's top flight.
© Imago
Do Man United need to sign another centre-back?
Man United are well-stocked in the middle of their defence, with Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire currently sharing the three centre-back spots at Old Trafford.
Maguire has had his contract extended until June 2026, but there will be two centre-back exits this summer, with both Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans out of contract, and the pair are set to move on.
Christensen's ability to play as a defensive midfielder also makes him an interesting option for Man United, and the chance to sign a player of his calibre on loan is an opportunity that the Red Devils should not miss.
Ruben Amorim's side are expected to have a busy end to the January transfer window, with a left-sided wing-back also required, and the club are said to be planning to make a fresh bid for Lecce's Patrick Dorgu, having had a second bid turned down on Friday.
Matt Law
