The financial pressures of FC Barcelona may lead to the departure of a prized defender, as the club signals openness to a lucrative offer.
With the need to make around €50 million to meet the expected regulations from La Liga, focus has turned toward players with high value.
A unique clause, applicable for a short period, could make this transfer particularly attractive for European clubs and provide enough motivation for a bidding war.
Manager Hansi Flick’s squad already features depth in defense, so converting a star to cash is a worthwhile consideration, even if it means losing a star on their backline.
The player in question is Ronald Araujo, the Uruguayan centre-back and star of Barcelona’s defense.
Journalist Achraf Ben Ayad reported that Araujo’s €1B release clause drops to €65 million between July 1 and July 10, 2025, and opens an opportunity for interested parties to make a claim.
While both Araujo and the club have publicly talked about being committed, Araujo’s future with Barcelona remains questionable because of their financial challenges as well as the presence of defenders Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, and Inigo Martinez.
This depth may lead to Araujo, a high-market-value asset, being sacrificed for financial relief.
While Flick recognizes Araujo’s physicality, the question of whether he fits a possession-based system still poses uncertainty for all involved.
Clubs like Juventus and Bayern Munich that have been linked with Araujo in the past will be snatching at this opportunity, especially since the fee has dropped down to €65 million.
In the upcoming weeks, as Barcelona weighs the financial requirement versus losing a defensive cornerstone, intensity will be high.
Fans regard the situation and hope to get clarity into whether Araujo stays or is turned into a blockbuster sale.’
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