Barcelona star defender set to move to Juventus on loan deal: Reports

According to reports, Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo has agreed to a move to Juventus, an Italian powerhouse. The Catalan capital has been completely shocked by the news. After recovering from a major hamstring injury, the tall defender only made his season debut in January when Barcelona crushed fourth-tier Barbastro in the Copa del Rey. 

Although he captained the team with pride in that 4-0 victory, Araujo has not yet agreed to a new contract with the Spanish team. The Uruguayan international has been negotiating an extension since the summer for a contract that expires in June 2026. Any offer Barcelona makes is thwarted by their precarious financial status, which has allowed teams like Bayern Munich to keep an eye on the situation as negotiations languish.

According to sources, Araujo is open to a loan move in January, and Juventus has already reached personal terms with him, making them seem to be the front-runners in the race for the player. Accordingly, Juventus is betting on Barcelona selling in January, while Barcelona may try to sell this summer. Juventus has reached an agreement with Barcelona to make the move happen on a loan with an obligation to buy in the summer. 

Premier League clubs interested in signing Ronald Araujo

Eric Garcia's departure in January seemed imminent at one point, but the Blaugrana will only consider the departure of either him, Ronaldo Araujo, or Andreas Christensen this season, while all three might leave in the summer. Barcelona's willingness to do business with Araujo is partly due to the potential arrival of Jonathan Tah. Other teams have also reportedly asked about his availability; according to Sport, Manchester United is among those who have done so, but Araujo's camp denies that an agreement has been reached.

Recent reports have also indicated that Arsenal may try to sign Araujo, and the Premier League is thought to be his preferred destination if he decides to leave Barcelona. Since they have not made any headway on a new contract but have set the summer as the sale date, it may make sense for Barcelona to make a deal now if they don't think they can work out a new one with Araujo.