The Uruguayan central Ronald Araújo extended his contract with FC Barcelona until June 2031as announced this Thursday by the Barcelona club.
The continuity of the Uruguayan defender, whose last contract with the Barça club expired in June 2026, was not entirely assured after seeing how the couple formed by Pau Cubarsí and Íñigo Martínez had consolidated themselves this season in the axis of the defense while he He was recovering from surgery on the hamstring tendon in his right thigh.
But the muscle injury that the Basque center-back suffered in the last final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid (2-5) changed the plans of the club and the player, who, not having guaranteed ownership in Hansi Flick’s team, was decided to leave Barcelona, according to several media outlets.
Finally, the Catalan club has convinced the 25-year-old Uruguayan international, who is extending his relationship with Barcelona for six more years.
FC Barcelona’s bet on Ronald Araújo
Araújo arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 2018, from Boston River, in exchange for $1.8 million dollars and some variables that could raise the cost of the transfer to a maximum of $5.4 million dollars. He debuted with the first team in October 2019 and has been international with the Uruguayan team since October 2020.
The Rivera footballer began his career in European football in the Barça reserve team before making his debut with the first team in an official match in the 2019-20 season under the orders of coach Ernesto Valverde.
The footballer took steps in the Barça first team until he established himself as the undisputed starter in the 2021-22 season with Ronald Koeman, first, and Xavi Hernández, later.
Although since then Araújo, one of the captains of the Barça first team, has suffered several muscle injuries that have prevented him from enjoying more continuity over the seasons.
In total, the Uruguayan has played 154 games with the first team, in which he has scored 8 goals and distributed 6 assists.. He has two Spanish Super Cups, a Cup and a League. The Uruguayan is also, since this summer, the second captain of the first team.
Desire to win the Champions League
The Uruguayan was very satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations and assured that he hopes to win important things with Barça. “The truth is that I am very happy, thank God. It is something tremendous to be able to renew with Barça and continue for many more years.”he began saying. “I feel enormous happiness. “I worked hard for this and I think I am achieving it.”
The Uruguayan assured that the club’s proposal shows that they trust him and he hopes to be able to respond by winning titles with his teammates. “The club’s confidence in you is very noticeable and that is important. It means that you are doing things well, that the work is good. I hope they will be great years and they can come with titles, which is the most important thing.”
In this sense, he made it very clear which title he would be most excited to win with Barça. “I want to win, continue growing as a professional. I know how important I am to this team and I think I can contribute a lot. And I want to win titles and I think we have something pending, which is to win the Champions League and it is the biggest goal we are going to pursue.“.
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