Despite growing doubts over his role at Barcelona, Ronald Araujo has no intention of leaving the club this summer.
According to SPORT, the Uruguayan defender remains fully committed to Barcelona and already sees himself continuing at the club next season.
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Even though his importance in the team has clearly dropped, the centre-back is said to be calm about his situation and still feels strongly connected to the squad.
Araujo’s current contract runs until 2031, and internally, there is no panic from the player’s side regarding his future.
The defender remains very comfortable in the dressing room and continues to enjoy strong relationships with both Flick and the younger players in the squad.
The German is believed to have played an important role in helping Araujo during difficult moments this season, especially when the defender stepped away while dealing with mental stress.
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Notably, during his leave of absence, several defenders stepped up impressively.
Araujo does not want to leave. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Eric Garcia took advantage of the opportunity, while Pau Cubarsi continued establishing himself as one of the first names in defence.
Lastly, Gerard Martin also improved his standing in the squad, and since then, the defensive hierarchy has not really shifted back in Araujo’s favour.
Role has changed
Even though the defender wants to remain at Barcelona, the ground reality has become difficult to ignore.
Araujo has slowly lost prominence throughout the season, particularly in important matches.
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One of the clearest examples came during last weekend’s Clasico, where Barcelona secured the La Liga title without the Uruguayan playing a single minute.
The situation became even more noticeable in the following match against Alaves. Despite Flick heavily rotating his squad, Araujo once again remained unused from the bench.
Araujo needs to fight for his place now. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
To make matters more complicated, Barcelona are searching for another centre-back, and any new arrival would only increase competition in a position that already looks crowded.
Barcelona may still need Araujo
Even with his reduced role, writing Araujo off completely would still be risky for Barcelona.
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The Uruguayan remains one of the squad’s strongest personalities and one of the few natural leaders in the dressing room.
His connection with the younger players has become increasingly important, especially in a squad filled with emerging talent.
What seems more likely is that Flick now views him differently compared to previous seasons.
Instead of being untouchable, Araujo has become a player who must fight for his place every week.
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