Ronald Araujo,Barcelona‘s second captain and as soon as thought of a cornerstone of their future, is now at a crossroads. Following his current restoration from a long-term harm, the Uruguayan defender has discovered himself entangled in uncertainty about his function on the membership. Araujo’s discontent, coupled with renewed curiosity from prime European golf equipment, together with a European large from Serie A, the place Christian Pulisic presently performs, has put his future in Catalonia in critical doubt.
Araujo’s street again from a critical hamstring harm has been difficult. He missed the primary half of the 2024-25 season after struggling the harm throughout the Copa America and present process surgical procedure. Although he just lately returned to motion, taking part in 90 minutes in Barcelona’s Copa del Rey match in opposition to Barbastro, the defender is struggling to reclaim his spot in Hansi Flick‘s beginning XI.
The German supervisor has established Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez as his most well-liked center-back pairing, with Jules Kounde usually deployed as a right-back. This pecking order, together with Flick’s clear belief within the present defensive setup, has left Araujo on the fringes.
Discontent brewing
Regardless of being certainly one of Barcelona’s captains, Araujo has grown more and more pissed off together with his diminished significance within the crew. Renewal negotiations with the membership have additionally hit a wall, because the defender feels the affords fall wanting guarantees made throughout Barcelona’s monetary disaster in 2021. Araujo’s contract runs till 2026, however the lack of an agreeable extension is forcing each the participant and the membership to think about different choices.
“Sources near Araujo recommend he’s ‘extra out than in’ at Barcelona,” reported Copejournalist Helena Condis. The sentiment is echoed within the locker room, with teammates sensing that the defender is significantly considering a departure.
Among the many golf equipment excited by Araujo is a Serie An enormous reportedly eager on securing his companies. Whereas the main points initially remained undisclosed, it has now emerged that Juventus is aggressively pursuing the defender. The Italian facet, going through defensive accidents, sees Araujo as a primary goal and is exploring a mortgage cope with a compulsory buy choice.
Nevertheless, Juventus shouldn’t be the one membership monitoring the state of affairs. Premier League facet Arsenal has additionally expressed curiosity, whereas the Catalans are conscious of the summer time switch market being their final probability to extract vital worth from Araujo ought to he refuse to increase his contract.
Barcelona’s monetary crucial
Barcelona’s monetary struggles add one other layer of complexity. Araujo is valued at €55-60 million, and promoting him might alleviate a number of the membership’s urgent monetary burdens. With the switch window open, time is of the essence.
The potential transfer comes amid ongoing disputes between Barcelona, La Liga, and the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF) over the membership’s wage cap. Resolving the defender’s future earlier than February 3 wouldn’t solely safe much-needed funds but additionally present Barcelona with flexibility out there.
The Spanish Tremendous Cup last in opposition to Actual Madrid this weekend could show pivotal for Araujo’s future. If Flick opts to not embody the defender within the lineup, hypothesis about his exit will possible intensify.
Because the 25-year-old Uruguayan himself enigmatically acknowledged after Barcelona’s current victory over Barbastro, “We’ll see,” when requested about his contract state of affairs. Behind closed doorways, nonetheless, the defender has reportedly been extra direct, expressing an actual risk of leaving after seven seasons in Catalonia.
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