Currently, FC Barcelona have four high-level centre-backs in their squad, including Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, and Andreas Christensen. Having such a constellation of defenders at his disposal would be a dream for any football coach.
However, the team has not been performing at its best defensively this season, and there are changes expected in the backline before the start of the next season. The La Masia graduate Chadi Riad, who currently plays at Real Betis, is expected to join the team in the summer, and one of the current four centre-backs will make way for him.
While it is not yet clear which of these defenders will leave Barcelona, the most in-demand of these centre-backs is definitely Ronald Araujo. The Uruguayan has grown to become one of the best defenders in recent years but has a contract till 2026 and a release clause of €1 billion with the Catalans.
Even with these safety measures and the player’s commitment to Barcelona, Bayern Munich have tried to lure him to Bavaria recently. The Germans are willing to pay a highly compelling fee to both the club and the player, but Araujo himself has not shown any willingness to leave Barcelona up to now.
However, the Germans are not discouraged by the Uruguayan’s lack of interest, as SPORT reports that he is still the first option for Bayern, and the current Bundesliga champions are not going to give up on him.
Bayern believe that they are already set with their midfield and attack, but their defence remains unstable. A top-level centre-back can solve this problem, and Thomas Tuchel wants only Araujo to take up this role in his team.
There were reports that Tuchel himself has talked with Araujo to convince him to move to Munich. However, the player himself wants only to continue at Barcelona and would leave the Catalan club only if the club itself asked him to do so, as a big fee for the defender can significantly mitigate the club’s financial problems.
For now, the Catalans consider Araujo to be non-transferable and are also pondering on improving the contract of the Uruguayan who is currently on very low wages. A new contract can be offered to him before the end of the season to ensure his long-term continuity at Barcelona.
