Araujo makes Juventus demand despite Barcelona reluctance

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Peter Young | Last updated Jan 12, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Ronald Araujo has reportedly made it clear that he wishes to leave Barcelona ‘as soon as possible’ following a January approach from Juventus, who hope to sign the Uruguay international to resolve their defensive issues.

Juventus are hoping to add at least one new defender to their ranks in January in order to cover for the losses of Bremer and Juan Cabal, who both suffered serious knee injuries earlier in the season.

Reports earlier in the week claimed that Juventus submitted an offer to Barcelona for the 25-year-old centre-back, but the Blaugrana turned it down, instead holding out for a price tag in the region of €70m, which is far too much for the Bianconeri in their current financial situation.

Araujo demands Barcelona exit as Juventus watch on

Despite Hansi Flick insisting that he hopes to keep hold of Araujo, the player himself has informed some of his colleagues that he wishes to leave the club ‘as soon as possible’ according to reports from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

Sunday’s report goes as far as saying that Araujo is telling ‘anybody who listens’ that he wants to leave Barca.

Even though Barcelona have requested a €70m fee, Aruajo will be into the final year of his contract in the summer, which means that the price tag could drop significantly if Juventus decide to hold out for another few months.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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