Barcelona director of football Eric Abidal is reportedly on the lookout for a short-term fix to fill the void left by centre-back Samuel Umtiti.

The Catalan giants concede that they may be without the Frenchman for a number of months as he will likely have to undergo surgery on his injured knee.

With Thomas Vermaelen also facing an extended spell on the sidelines, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu is prepared to back manager Ernesto Valverde in bringing in a new central defender.

Rather than recruiting a high-profile name, however, with Liverpool's Dejan Lovren the latest to be linked, Marca suggests that a short-term option will be recruited.

Abidal is said to be on the lookout for an experienced defender to slot right in once the January window opens, although Barca know that they have their work cut out persuading rival clubs to release such a player midway through the season.