Barcelona is gearing up for a pivotal summer transfer window, aiming to reshape its squad while carefully managing its finances. Faced with ongoing financial pressures and a clear need to rejuvenate the team for upcoming campaigns, the Catalan club plans to sell several players to raise funds for critical new signings.
This approach seeks to strike a balance between sporting ambitions and economic responsibilities, a challenge Barcelona has been wrestling with in recent seasons.
According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, one of the most unexpected developments came shortly after the season concluded. Initially, Ronald Araujo was expected to leave the club during the winter transfer window, with Juventus showing serious interest and Araujo himself open to the move.
However, key figures within the club — notably Robert Lewandowski — persuaded the Uruguayan defender to stay. Despite this, Barcelona set a €65 million release clause on him, hinting at a potential summer sale.
Surprisingly, the club later opted to pull Araujo off the market, shifting their focus instead to selling Andreas Christensen, whose contract runs until 2026.
While this appeared to settle matters temporarily, the situation shifted again under new manager Hansi Flick. Initially inclined to part with Christensen, Flick reversed course, choosing to retain him while reassessing Araujo’s role.
Unfortunately for Araujo, Flick grew increasingly dissatisfied with his performances, which have been inconsistent due to injuries and a lack of form.
The German coach often turned to Eric Garcia, despite his own shortcomings, and placed greater trust in defenders like Pau Torres and Iñigo Martínez. As a result, Flick made it clear behind the scenes that if Araujo chose to remain at Barcelona, his opportunities would be limited to emergency situations only.
This message left Araujo facing a harsh reality. According to El Chiringuito de Jugones, Barcelona has now given him a deadline of July 10 to decide his future, with the club setting a €60 million asking price for his transfer.
The club is reportedly eager to complete his sale to finance other high-priority deals — most notably, a move for Athletic Bilbao’s rising star Nico Williams, whose release clause aligns closely with Araujo’s proposed fee.
Araujo’s situation has grown increasingly difficult, as this season was his least productive since joining Barcelona’s first team, featuring in only 25 matches, many as a substitute. His market value has plummeted from €70 million to around €35 million, making this window a crucial moment for both the player and the club.
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