Ronald Araujo was one of the FC Barcelona players in the 2024/25 season who had the most ups and downs. The Uruguayan started the season on the injured list, after suffering an injury to the hamstring tendon of his right thigh that required surgery and a long recovery. This situation left him out of action for several months and made him miss 22 matches.
However, when the player from Rivera returned to the Barça dynamic, he encountered an unexpected reality: Barcelona already had a consolidated central defensive partnership, formed by Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez. Both had understood each other perfectly, dominated the offside trap and showed defensive solidity along with a great technical ability to play out from the back. This relegated the Uruguayan to a more secondary role.
Thus passed a good part of the season, in which the second captain ended up playing 25 matches (1,560 minutes), scoring two goals and providing a pair of assists. It was a campaign in which, amid rumors about his future —which pointed to him as a possible sale due to the interest of several clubs and his high market value—, Barça opted to renew his contract until 2031.
A decision that represented a clear declaration of intent by the team from the Ciudad Condal, just when there was even speculation about a transfer to Juventus in the winter market.
Barça does not see Araujo leaving this summer: Flick trusts the Uruguayan
Now, from Barcelona they have made it clear again that they are counting on Ronald Araujo for next season. According to 'Mundo Deportivo', neither the sports area led by Deco nor the coach, Hansi Flick, are considering his departure this summer. They consider that, in defensive terms, the Uruguayan is the central defender with the best conditions:
- Powerful and burly
- Good aerial game
- With a great capacity for correction
- Fast in his best version
However, he needs greater continuity to adapt to Hansi Flick's footballing idea, with which he may not have looked entirely comfortable until now.
What is Ronald Araujo's future at Barcelona?
This approach is also supported by media such as 'RAC1', where it is also assured that the sports management fully trusts Araujo and values his differential profile compared to the rest of the squad's defenders. He is not expected to leave this summer, an idea shared by the Uruguayan, determined to stay at Barça and regain a leading role.
Now we will have to see how his future develops in this new stage. It must be remembered that his contract includes a clause that would allow him to leave for 65 million euros between July 1 and 15, an attractive amount for any club that wants to acquire his services.
However, for now it seems unlikely that he will leave, as he has the confidence of Hansi Flick and has real options to compete for a starting place next season. In a position where squad depth is needed, and without the incorporation of Jonathan Tah, there are more opportunities for the central defenders who are already part of the team.