Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'Barcelona could sign new centre-back'

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said that his club are open to the possibility of signing a central defender when the January transfer window opens for business.

The Spanish champions were said to in the market for a new centre-back due to the fact that Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen are both facing extended spells on the sidelines.

Ajax's Matthijs de Ligt, Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld and Zenit St Petersburg's Branislav Ivanovic have all been linked with mid-season switches to Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's Dejan Lovren is the latest name being linked with the Catalan giants.

Bartomeu has admitted that Barca are "thinner" in central defence due to the injuries to Umtiti and Vermaelen, and has hinted that a new player could arrive in the winter transfer window.

"Well, injuries happen all of the time in football, you have to deal with it. These two centre-backs got injured so we are now a little thinner at this position," Goal.com quotes Bartomeu as saying.

"Even so, Gerard Pique and [Clement] Lenglet are both there and ready to cover well. A new defender? Well we always have our eyes open so let's see what we will decide to do in January. Injuries also allow younger players to play so you have to be able to cope with it."

Barcelona will welcome table-topping Sevilla to Camp Nou in La Liga on Saturday night.