Section of Barcelona board believes star player should be sold despite Xavi Hernandez opinion | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is one of the big stories already this summer, with speculation about his future ongoing since Bayern Munich showed interest in January. The Uruguayan’s contract talks with Barcelona have stalled, and if no new deal is agreed, they may put him up for sale this summer.

The main factor is the club’s finances, and it is believed they need a minimum of one large sale will be necessary for the Blaugrana, with Araujo’s price set at somewhere between €80-100m. However Marca report that some of the Barcelona board also believe that his performances have declined, and he should no longer be afforded the same status as other ‘untouchables’. That is despite the fact he remains so for Xavi Hernandez, who continues to start him alongside Pau Cubarsi.

They feel that the 24-year-old has form this season has seen him look slower, intervene less and make more mistakes than in prior seasons. One of the figures highlighted as a sign of this is the fact that he has 8 yellow cards in 31 matches, compared to 7 in 43 last season. The most high profile mistakes obviously came against Paris Saint-Germain last week, and Valencia on Monday night, to which Xavi responded ‘Ronald has saved us on many occasions’.

Regardless of whether they think his performances have declined or not, it looks as if Barcelona’s hand could be forced on the matter, with Araujo one of the few stars who appears open to a move and attracting interest, despite public statements that he is happy in Barcelona. It should not be ruled out that such leaks are in part to soften the blow for the fans, and in turn deflect some of negative press that will come with selling Araujo.