Barcelona want more than €100m for ‘fundamental’ player amid exit rumors

The current summer transfer window is going to be a very busy one for FC Barcelona. The Catalans will not only have to get rid of some of their fringe players and bring in new players to strengthen their weak areas ahead of the next season but will also have to ensure they get as much money for parting ways with their assets as they possibly can.

The economic conditions of the Blaugranes have made them open to selling almost any of their players, barring only a select few, if the right offer comes in. But the defender Ronald Araujo has a quite complex case.

The Uruguayan defender, described as ‘fundamental’ by Xavi Hernández, is non-transferable for Barcelona but has still been approached by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich, in the last few months, as his contract with the Catalan club ends after two years, and he has yet to respond to the renewal offer that the Blaugranes sent him.

The center-back is currently busy with his national side’s 2024 Copa America campaign, and in a recent media appearance, he made it clear that he is focused on this tournament, and did not give any assurances about his future at FC Barcelona.

In such a situation, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona are remaining firm in their policy towards Araujo, as they believe that he is a very important player in the squad and has a contract with them till 2026. The Catalans do not want to sell him, but if the defender himself wants to leave, he will have to make this clear to the top brass and bring in a very high offer for himself.

The report mentions that the Blaugranes will be open for a sale only if an offer of more than €100 million arrives, and they have two of Chelsea’s recent transfers in mind when evaluating their star defender. The Blues paid €133 million for Caicedo and €121 million for Enzo Fernandez, and Barcelona believe that Araujo’s value is even higher this summer.