“I don’t have a plan B**,”** Andreas Christensen said in an interview earlier this week when asked whether he had an alternative for his future if he did not renew his contract with FC Barcelona.
The Danish international’s current deal with the Blaugrana expires in June, and the club have not yet addressed a possible extension because they are not convinced about continuing with him.
Christensen remains hopeful
However, according to MARCA, despite the current situation, Christensen remains hopeful of earning a renewal from Barcelona and believes that the door has not been closed yet.
After all, in recent windows, the Catalans seriously considered letting him go, yet the centre-back stayed put in the dressing room.
Christensen joined Barcelona in 2022 on a free transfer from Chelsea. He played a significant role in his first two seasons at the club under Xavi Hernandez: in 2022/23, he made 32 appearances, and in 2023/24, he played 42 matches, starting 38 of them.
However, across the following two seasons, Christensen’s involvement was reduced due to competition in defence and recurring injuries. This decline in influence led to his future being questioned in several transfer markets.
But his exit did not materialise for various reasons, including persistent and intermittent injuries, absences of other central defenders, and his reluctance to leave the club.
Andreas Christensen of FC Barcelona
Christensen hopeful of Barcelona stay. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
In the summer of 2024, Barça had already planned for Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez to play leading roles, placing Christensen’s name on the transfer list. However, a serious Achilles tendon problem halted any move.
In January earlier this year, with the injury almost resolved, his name reappeared on Deco’s outgoing list, but the long recovery process and his resistance to leaving again prevented his departure.
Christensen could have left again this past summer as Barcelona’s technical staff believed his exit would be the least damaging because the club still had Cubarsi, Inigo, Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia.
Moreover, with only one year left on his contract, the club had a financial incentive to avoid losing him for free. However, the unexpected departure of Inigo led Hansi Flick and Deco to block Christensen’s departure.
Christensen’s contract ends in June. For now, the club, while pleased with his professionalism, has not offered a renewal. They are closely monitoring his performances and are waiting to see how the squad ultimately shapes up.
The former Chelsea star, however, has made it clear that he does not wish to leave Barcelona. He hopes once again that any exit plans will fail and he is offered an extension.