Barcelona Turn Down Juventus Offer for Star Center-Back | OneFootball

La Liga title hopefuls Barcelona have reportedly rebuffed a ‘below-par’ offer from Juventus for star center-back Ronald Araujo. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan heavyweights have deemed Juve’s unspecified initial bid insufficient.

It’s no secret that Juventus are in the market for a new central defender. Injuries to Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal have left head coach Thiago Motta strapped for reliable options at the back. After pursuing several low-profile alternatives, they switched their attention to Araujo.

Araujo’s new bit-part role under Hansi Flick has seen the player grow frustrated with life at Camp Nou. Furthermore, Barca’s well-documented financial turmoil could force the club to offload several first-team stars to balance the books, handing Juventus a potentially decisive boost.

However, Barcelona won’t let the Uruguayan ace go cheap. Early indications claim they could ask for up to €70 million to sanction Araujo’s departure. But other reports in Spain suggest a bid in the region of €45-50m would do the trick.

That’s still an excessive price. Juventus probably won’t come anywhere near that figure. Meanwhile,Arsenal could spoil their plans after joining the race for the 25-year-old. Unlike the Italians, Mikel Arteta’s men could flex their financial muscle this winter to bolster their title quest.

Indeed, the Gunners remain firmly in the Premier League title mix but could use additional strength at the back. That’s the last thing Juventus would want to hear, as they desperately need defensive reinforcements to increase their chances of securing Champions League qualification.