FC Barcelona are facing a sort of crisis in the centre-back position midway through the season.
Ronald Araujo has taken a leave of absence to deal with mental health problems, and this past weekend, it was revealed that Andreas Christensen had suffered a partial ACL tear, ruling him out for four months.
With Eric Garcia playing more and more in midfield and filling in at right-back as cover for Jules Kounde, Barça are considering the possibility of moving their recruitment plans forward to sign a central defender in January.
However, as highlighted by SPORT, the reigning La Liga champions could find a solution in Juliano Belletti’s Barça Atletic squad.
Alvaro Cortes an option Hansi Flick could look at
Indeed, as per the outlet, if Barcelona’s defensive absences make it necessary to look for a reliable centre-back, Hansi Flick could look at reserve team captain Alvaro Cortes.
Cortes is a solid, technical and consistent centre-back who is more than ready to make the step up to elite football.
Álvaro Cortés vs Girona B 🥶 pic.twitter.com/2YHTIvvI8e https://t.co/vYDOS9o9oU
— La Masia Brasil 🇧🇷 (@LaMasiaBrasil) November 3, 2025
The 20-year-old left-footed central defender has been at Barça since 2021, having arrived from Real Zaragoza. While he had some difficulties early on and had to spend a season away on loan, the Spaniard has grown in stature in the past few years.
A permanent fixture in the Barça Atletic defensive line since last season, Cortes has performed admirably. Strong in defence and capable of building up play from the back, he is also left-footed and could be a handy solution for the first team.
Flick has called him up to training with the senior setup on a few occasions, but the youngster has yet to make his debut.
Given the current situation, if Barcelona are not in a position to sign anyone, Cortes could be an option for Flick. It could also help them convince him to stay at the club amid interest from some big European teams.