The winter transfer window will open on January 1 with Barça under pressure due to the management of their squad. The current champion is adjusting pieces after an intense summer, with decisions that will shape the rotation for the season. Hansi Flick has set internal red lines to keep performance and financial balance. What happens between September and December will weigh on departures and roles.
Goalkeeping 2025/26: hierarchy after Vallecas and a winter with decisions
Joan García's display in Vallecas solidified his candidacy as the current goalkeeper. The club completed the registration of an experienced goalkeeper and kept high competition between the posts.
That picture reduces minutes in the position and pushes for a departure if the competitive context doesn't change. Flick values continuity, leadership, and footwork, but he prioritizes immediate reliability and physical availability. The message is clear: if the goalkeeping distribution is set in the fall, January will bring a drastic solution.
The board isn't happy with Marc-André ter Stegen and it seems Flick doesn't trust his compatriot. The club's environment was very angry about the German goalkeeper's attitude, and everything indicates that in January they'll get rid of his contract.
An under-21 striker with a reserve team contract: minutes or loan in January
The other departure isn't of such an important player, but it is a recent addition. The sporting management finally registered Roony Bardghji with a reserve team contract due to Fair Play limitations.
The coaching staff want to keep him close to the first team, although his impact will depend on space in the lists and actual minutes in La Liga. In preseason, he showed flashes and the technical staff thought he'd be a great piece for the first team. However, the winger's performance has dropped and Hansi has made it clear to him that it's going to be difficult for him to play. The best option considered at can Barça is a loan move in January.
Fair Play and wage bill: why January opens a window of relief
LaLiga keeps firm control over registrations, forcing the prioritization of orderly and sustainable moves. With the 1:1 ratio goal closer, the club projects room to register pending players during the winter. That scenario would allow negotiating departures that ease the wage bill without weakening the champion's competitive core.
Roadmap until January 1: what Flick will look at before approving departures
The staff monitor five variables before validating moves. Health of starters, match load, impact of the European calendar, performance by role, and the squad's morale. The sequence of matches until Christmas will provide enough evidence to decide.
If the competitive picture doesn't change, two profiles appear as the main candidates to move in the winter window. The club is working with closed scenarios and a quick execution when the market opens. Catalunya is looking at Camp Nou with the certainty that the champion will prioritize present performance without mortgaging their future plan.