Barcelona do not want to sell €50m-rated player this summer – Report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have a huge summer ahead of them where they need to reshape the squad to make it better than what it is currently. While doing so, it is important for Deco to ensure that it doesn’t get worse than what it is now.

The Catalan club has a very good core set of players. However, there have been a few concerns over the long-term involvement of some of them. One player whose form has not been great this season is Uruguayan center-back Ronald Araujo.

The €50 million-rated player picked up an injury in the summer preceding the season during the Copa America and missed the first half of the campaign. Once he returned from injury, he struggled to adapt to Hansi Flick’s high line, like the other defenders had.

The release clause of Ronald Araujo

Ronald Araujo should stay at Barcelona. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Araujo signed a new contract extension with Barcelona in January, and a part of that deal is that his release clause would drop to €60m from July 1 to July 15 this year. However, as per Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan club does not want to sell the Uruguayan.

Barcelona view Araujo as the most physically dominant and explosive defender at their disposal, and his importance cannot be understated. He is currently the club’s second captain behind Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and continues to be an important part of the dressing room.

The report mentions that the club feels the Uruguayan has been unfairly treated due to the astronomical rise of Pau Cubarsi. However, with a proper pre-season behind him, Araujo might find it easier to adapt to Hansi Flick’s system.

Has a future at Barcelona?

Ronald Araujo is a physically dominant defender. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barcelona also value how decisive Araujo can be in big games. He made a mistake in the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, but it is also important to acknowledge how solid he looked after coming on for Inigo Martinez in the Spanish Super Cup final and then for Cubarsi in the Copa del Rey semifinal.

Despite a rocky campaign, Barcelona are wise not to abandon Ronald Araujo after a single difficult season. His speed, power, and leadership remain unmatched within the squad. With a full pre-season under Hansi Flick, there’s every chance the 26-year-old will rediscover his top form. If and when that happens, the club’s faith in him will feel more than justified.