Barcelona want to sign Valencia centre-back Jeison Murillo next month on a short-month loan deal, claims the London Evening Standard.
Ernesto Valverde has been left with just two fit senior centre-backs with Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen both set for long spells on the sidelines.
Barcelona have made signing a new centre-back a priority next month and have already been linked with an audacious loan move for Chelsea youngster Andreas Christensen.
The Denmark international has dropped down the pecking order at Chelsea this season but the Premier League giants are not interested in loaning the 22-year-old to Barcelona.
Barcelona’s top transfer target is Ajax wonderkid Matthijs de Ligt but a transfer involving the 19-year-old will likely involve making the teenager the most expensive defender of all-time.
Valverde’s side are happy to shelve their interest in De Ligt until the summer and get an experienced centre-back in January on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Murillo has spent the last two years at Valencia after joining from Serie A giants Inter but has only made one league appearance this season.
Since the start of last season, Valencia have won 68.7% of their league matches when Murillo has started compared to a win ratio of just 36.8% when he hasn’t featured from the off.
