Real Madrid planning to sign Barcelona's Araujo on a free

Real Madrid are planning an audacious bid to sign Barcelona and Uruguay defender Ronald Araújo on a free transfer, according to Catalan radio station KNB. The 22-year-old centre back is out of contract in 2023 and talks on a new deal at Camp Nou have stalled. Interest from the Bernabéu in the international’s services is unlikely to be welcomed by Joan Laporta and the Camp Nou technical staff, who view Araújo as one of the defensive pillars on which Xavi will build his new-look Barça side with other youngsters including Pedri, Gavi, Nico, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres.

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Madrid attempted to sign Araújo in 2018, but the defender decided to join Barcelona instead. Ramón Planes, who was technical secretary at Camp Nou at that time, moved more quickly and snapped up the then-teenaged defender, whose market value has soared as he has established himself at Barça and with Uruguay. Araújo joined Barça from Boston River for just €1.7 million with add-ons amounting to €5.2m.

The player’s agent, Flavio Perchman, said a few months ago that he would sit down with Barça before the end of 2021 to hammer out a new deal for Araújo, but with the Camp Nou board’s hands full with Ousmane Dembélé’s contract renewal and a new offer for Gavi, as well as their January window dealings including the arrival of Ferran Torres, signing Araújo up beyond 2023 has fallen by the wayside, alerting the interest of Madrid.