Barcelona coach Hansi Flick emphasized his desire to keep central defender Ronald Araujo strong transfer There are rumors describing the Uruguayan as “one of the best defenders” in world football.
Araujo has missed most of Flick’s tenure so far after suffering a long-term injury in last summer’s Copa America. He only made his first appearance under the German coach at the beginning of the new year in the Copa del Rey victory over Barbastro.
With Araujo’s contract expiring in 2026 and uncertainty over his future growing, Juventus and Arsenal were heavily linked with the 25-year-old during the current January transfer window.
Talks over a new deal with Barcelona have stalled, leaving the door open for potential suitors. Juventus and Arsenal are currently the clubs most interested in Araujo, but there are likely others pursuing the talented defender.
When asked about Araujo’s future amid increasing fears of leaving, Flick showed his admiration for the Barcelona defender and expressed his desire to keep him in Catalonia.
“When I started as a coach, I saw that there were a lot of rumors,” admitted the German coach. “Ronald came back from a terrible injury and is now ready to play. He’s a good option and he’s very professional.”
“I think we took very good care of him. It’s not my job to talk about rumors, but I want him on my team. He is one of the best defenders.”
According to Spanish publication Mundo SportsBarcelona are not interested in selling Araujo this month but could be tempted by an offer in line with the reported €70m (£59m) valuation. In fact, they have already rejected Juventus’ opening offer for the centre-back.
The same publication also revealed that Arsenal would have an advantage over their Italian rivals should Araujo decide to leave Barcelona, as the player would prefer a move to the Premier League.