Arsenal have been keeping close tabs on Ronald Araujo’s delicate contract situation at Barcelona and are preparing an audacious bid to sign the defender this January.
Araujo is enjoying his fifth full season in Barcelona’s first-team having joined the Catalan giants from Uruguayan outfit Boston River back in 2018.
In that time, Araujo has racked up over 150 appearances in all competitions for Barca, helping the club win the 2022/23 La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Araujo returned from a serious hamstring injury last weekend to make his first appearance of the season in Barca’s trip to Barbastro, playing the full 90 minutes in a resounding 4-0 victory.
But uncertainty has been growing over Araujo’s standing at the Camp Nou, with the Uruguay international facing strong competition for his place at the heart of Hansi Flick’s defence.
Flick has landed on a settled centre-back partnership in Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez and Araujo senses that it could be difficult to force his way back into the reckoning.
He is also aware that Barca are actively looking strengthen their options at centre-half over the coming transfer windows, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah a top target.
It’s been widely reported in both Italy and Spain that Juventus are pushing to sign Araujo on a loan deal this month and the Serie A club are ‘expecting a response from Barca next week’, according to Mundo Deportivo.
However, the report states that Juve are not alone in their interest, with Arsenal actively exploring a move for Araujo, whose Barca future is said to be ‘hanging by a thread’.
It’s claimed the Gunners are ‘willing to bid for him now’, with Mikel Arteta’s side scouring the market for defensive reinforcements to boost their title charge in the second half of the campaign.
Araujo current contract is due to expire in 18 months’ time and Barca are prepared to listen to offers for the Uruguayan should he continue to stall over an extension.
Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena SER earlier this week, Araujo confirmed that negotiations were ongoing regarding a possible new deal.
‘We are talking with the club about my renewal,’ he explained.
‘But I am fully focused on playing again and getting minutes under my belt.’
Pressed on whether he was 100 per cent committed to continuing with Barca, he bluntly repeated: ‘We are talking to the club.’
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