Barcelona’s attempts to tie centre-back Ronald Araujo down to a contract extension have hit a stumbling block due to the Uruguyan’s financial demands. Meanwhile, the youngster is also being eyed by several Premier League outfits.
The Catalans may be going through a turbulent time, but the club has made inroads towards securing its future by offering contract extensions to several of its most promising stars. Central defender Araujo is next in line – alongside Gavi – after the Blaugrana tied down Pedri and Ansu Fati to long-term deals earlier this season.
However, Araujo’s renewal is complicated due to the player’s financial demands and growing interest from the Premier League in his services.
Araujo’s contract runs out at the end of the next season, making his renewal a priority for Barcelona. The 22-year-old has been one of the team’s brightest spots over the last year and has established himself in the first-team set-up.
His impact in such a short span of time has invited interest from England, with ESPN reporting that Liverpool are monitoring his situation at the club closely. Meanwhile, Chelsea are also looking for new central defenders, with several of their current first-team stalwarts heading towards the end of their contracts. Manchester United, too, are keen on the player.
As per ESPN, Barca had hoped to tie Araujo down to a new five-year contract, as they did with Pedri and Fati in October. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that the player’s current financial demands are higher than expected and that other clubs – with better financial muscle – are watching closely.
The Spanish giants went through something similar last summer with Ilaix Moriba, but they held firm and eventually sold the academy graduate to RB Leipzig back in August.
We've signed @IlaixMK from @FCBarcelona! ✍️
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) August 31, 2021
The 18-year-old midfielder joins #RBLeipzig on a five-year deal until 2026 🙌 #HereWeGoMoriba pic.twitter.com/ROpDicWiv4
Araujo, like Moriba, was part of the Barcelona youth set-up, albeit for a short while. He made his senior debut during the 2019/20 season and broke into the first team the following year. Last season, he made 33 appearances across all competitions, including 24 in the league. He has appeared 13 times for the first team this season already – and has scored one goal.
