Barcelona is reportedly open to the idea of selling star defender Ronald Araujo. The center-back is widely regarded as one of the top players in his position in all of Europe. Nevertheless, the Catalan club currently finds itself in financial trouble and will likely need to continue creating revenue this summer.
According to ESPN, Barcelona would potentially sanction a sale of Araujo for any bid reaching around $109 million. Bayern Munich was previously linked with a surprise move for the Uruguayan star, but a bid ultimately never came during the January transfer period. The La Liga side, however, does believe that the German giants will target the defender come summertime.
The 25-year-old defender signed his most recent Barcelona deal nearly two years ago. His current contract does not expire until June of 2026. The Spanish club added a $1.1 billion release clause in the agreement as well. Nevertheless, interested clubs do not regularly meet these astronomical release clauses.
Club currently experiencing money issues and needs extra funds
Araujo has been a mainstay in manager Xavi’s defense this season. He also featured in the starting lineup for a massive Champions League clash against Napoli on Tuesday. Barcelona eventually won the match 3-1, subsequently advancing to the quarterfinals of the competition.
After the victory, Araujo answered questions about his fairly uncertain future with his current team. “My future depends on the club,” the center-back told reporters. “Everyone knows that I am happy at Barca. And I am really grateful to [coach] Xavi for the faith he has placed in me.”
While Araujo wants to stay, Barcelona may sell the defender due to the aforementioned money issues. LaLiga officials previously charged the team with Financial Fair Play (FFP) violations in early 2023. As a result, the reigning Spanish champions have been attempting to make additional revenue.
A large chunk of this creation of funds came…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/barcelona-willing-to-sell-ronald-araujo-in-summer-for-huge-price
Author : Chris Moore
Publish date : 2024-03-13 16:51:38
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