Even after extending his contract recently, the Barca player surprises Laporta and Hansi Flick with plans to follow in Dembele’s footsteps and leave next summer!

Barcelona is set to face Rayo Vallecano tonight at the Olympic Stadium of Luis Companys in a crucial La Liga encounter for the twenty-fourth round of the competition.

The Catalan giants are determined to secure a victory against their Madrid-based opponents, aiming to capitalize on recent setbacks faced by league leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Both Madrid clubs dropped points in their respective matches, with Real Madrid drawing against Osasuna and Atletico Madrid sharing the spoils with Celta Vigo. A win for Barcelona would put them in a stronger position in the title race.

Meanwhile, Barcelona appears to be employing a familiar transfer strategy with their Uruguayan defender, Ronald Araujo, following a pattern similar to the one used with former player Ousmane Dembele. According to the Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona recently renewed Araujo’s contract, extending his stay at the club until June 2031.

However, the contract includes a release clause that allows him to leave the club as early as next summer for a fee of €65 million. If Araujo remains with Barcelona beyond the next summer transfer window, the release clause will increase to €80 million starting in January 2026.

This approach indicates that while Barcelona values Araujo as a key player, they also want to provide him with flexibility regarding his future.

Despite the contract extension, the inclusion of the release clause ensures that Araujo retains some control over his potential departure, should he choose to leave for a new challenge in the coming seasons.

Barcelona, in turn, safeguards itself from losing the player without financial compensation, a move likely influenced by past experiences with players departing on free transfers.

The club had previously adopted a similar strategy with Dembele, who left for Paris Saint-Germain after activating his release clause. By structuring Araujo’s contract in a comparable manner, Barcelona ensures they do not risk losing a valuable asset without receiving a substantial transfer fee.

According to Sport, this contractual agreement was reached in mutual understanding with Araujo, who is committed to staying with Barcelona for now but remains open to exploring other opportunities in the future. This pragmatic approach allows both the player and the club to maintain flexibility while securing Barcelona’s financial interests.