Barcelona captain could be available for just €65 million next summer despite contract extension – report

Ronald Araujo is fresh from penning a long-term contract at Barcelona, which will see him remain at the club until 2031.

The new deal will go a long way in helping Barcelona safeguard the future of the star defender, whose future has been the subject of much discussion in the past few months.

Barcelona are expecting Araujo to become a key leader in defence in the years to come. However, there were certain strings attached to the new contract that was signed.

In the official statement, Barcelona did not mention the value of the release clause, which was previously set at €1 billion.

Various reports suggest the release clause has been lowered in Araujo’s new contract so that the player will always have a lever he can utilise in order to force himself out of the club. Barcelona, to that end, wanted to keep the value of the release clause a secret.

Value of Araujo’s release clause

However, a recent report from Matteo Moretto has revealed the exact value of Araujo’s release clause.

As per the report, the value of Araujo’s release clause is not €1 billion anymore. In fact, it has been lowered to just €65 million.

There is a caveat, though. In order to activate the €65 million release clause, clubs must exercise the option in the summer of 2025.

If not, the value of Araujo’s release clause could increase up to €80 million, starting from January 2026.

This little arrangement makes sense for both parties involved. As mentioned earlier, this will allow Araujo to force himself out whenever he desires.

As for Barcelona, this will keep the defender’s valuation at a premium, regardless of his form and momentum.