Barcelona consider Lisandro Martinez as Antonio Conte’s stance on Manchester United job revealed - Euro Transfer News
By Will Conroy
Updated 29/10/2026 at 19:58 GMT
Barcelona could target Josko Gvardiol and Lisandro Martinez in the January transfer window, according to a report, with recent defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid prompting the Catalan club to explore options to bolster their defence.
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After winning their first 11 games of the campaign, Barcelona were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid last week, conceding six goals in the process.
Despite adding to their attack and midfield over the summer, they were reportedly unable to afford their defensive targets, and the recent losses have reinforced their belief that addressing faults in that area of the pitch is the priority for January.
"Barca had counted on some sales [in the summer] that would have allowed them to reinforce the back line with another centre-back and full-back, but ultimately they couldn't afford those two signings," Mundo Deportivo explains.
"Now, after two defeats against PSG and Real Madrid, the team again struggled defensively, just as happened last season against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and two seasons ago against Inter Milan, when they conceded goals on counter-attacks.
”The club has a clear diagnosis and wants to try to remedy the situation in the upcoming winter transfer window with an experienced centre-back who can provide an immediate impact.”
Gvardiol is "the dream centre-back", according to the report, but Barcelona would only stand a realistic chance at signing the Croatian if Manchester City faced a "significant penalty" before the January window after being found guilty of all serious financial charges relating to breaches of Premier League rules.
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Martinez would reportedly be a more "feasible" option given that his Manchester United contract expires in June 2027, and his recent criticism of the club’s hierarchy, which has put him in a "precarious position" at Old Trafford.
"The only thing working against him is his injury history, something Barca will have to carefully consider," Mundo Deportivo adds on the Argentine.
Conte favouring Serie A role amid Man Utd links
Antonio Conte is reportedly favouring a return to Serie A next season.
Conte has been widely linked with Manchester United in recent weeks as uncertainty continues to grow around Michael Carrick’s future amid a torrid run of form.
Despite the club keeping faith with the Englishman for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea, he appears to be in his most vulnerable position since taking charge at Old Trafford after successive defeats by a three-goal margin, and a selection of names have been reported as potential replacements.
Conte is widely reported to be among the leading candidates for the job should the club make a managerial change, but the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager may not opt for a return to the Premier League just yet.
"As revealed yesterday, Antonio Conte is currently in Sharm el-Sheikh," Italian transfer expert Nicolo Schira writes on X. "He is getting several calls from insiders, but he seems oriented to wait [until] next season to accept a Serie A club.
"It’s a different matter for an English club [Man United] where it would take less time to rebuild."
Schira reported on Wednesday that Conte was not in advanced talks with any English or Italian clubs at the moment, adding that he "is waiting for an exciting and challenging project".
Conte left Napoli in the summer, 12 months after guiding them to the Serie A title in his first season in charge.
No Ballon d'Or bonus for Spurs after Kane glory
Tottenham Hotspur did not have a Ballon d’Or clause in their deal with Bayern Munich for Harry Kane, according to reports, despite these conditions becoming "almost standard" in moves involving high-profile players.
Kane became the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or in 25 years on Monday, beating the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to football’s most prestigious individual award.
It came after another prolific season with Bayern following his move to the Bundesliga in 2023, as well as another strong year with England, with the striker scoring 73 goals in all competitions for club and country.
Kane has finished as top scorer in the Bundesliga in each of his three full campaigns with Bayern, earning him Ballon d’Or rankings of 10th, 13th and first.
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Best moments from Kane's Ballon d'Or winning season
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Despite there being little surprise at Kane’s lofty Ballon d’Or placements after his goalscoring exploits with Spurs, the Premier League side reportedly did not tie this achievement into their conditions when negotiating the Englishman’s exit three years ago.
"Understand Tottenham have NO Ballon d’Or bonus clause included in €100m [£83.5m] deal with FC Bayern for Harry Kane in 2023," Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany writes on X.
"Bayern will not have to pay Spurs any additional fee for this achievement.
"Such clauses have become almost standard in deals involving top talents and superstars. They are considered 'difficult bonus payments' and can trigger additional payments worth millions.
"Other bonus payments linked to domestic titles or winning the Champions League are part of the Kane deal."
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