Barcelona will not stand in star defender’s way if he asks to leave this summer – report

Barcelona will not stand in star defender’s way if he asks to leave this summer – report Although it may seem like Barcelona might not change things much defensively this summer, there could still be some market moves that we could witness before the season starts. Many players have already been linked with a move away from Catalonia, including Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde. But the most likely candidate could be Ronald Araujo, whose future at the club is far from certain despite the player having a long-term contract at the club. Barcelona willing to offload Araujo According to AS , Barcelona have not completely ruled out an Araujo departure this summer, and their stance is clear: should the Uruguayan request a transfer and a suitable offer arrive, they will not stand in his way. Barcelona do not oppose Araujo’s exit. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) While Araujo is contracted until 2031, the club do not consider him untouchable. Deco and Hansi Flick still value his leadership, experience and physical presence, but competition in defence has pushed him down the pecking order. With Pau Cubarsi increasingly established, Eric Garcia a key figure, Gerard Martin developing as a left-sided centre-back and Andreas Christensen recently renewed, Araujo finds himself as arguably the fifth-choice option, particularly as Flick does not see him at right-back. The defender rejoined pre-season training on Monday, and is likely to hold a conversation with Flick in the coming days. Araujo remains committed and willing to fight for his place, but he also wants to feel important, and should he sense his role will be secondary, he may reconsider his future. If not Araujo, then who? Araujo’s potential exit could be a blessing in disguise. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) A departure may not be the worst outcome for Barcelona. Araujo has struggled for consistency and form, and his error-prone tendencies do not always sit comfortably with Flick’s high defensive line and aggressive pressing style. Should he leave, Barcelona already have ample cover. Both Eric Garcia and Gerard Martin have performed admirably alongside Cubarsi, while Christensen offers further experience and reliability. What Barcelona genuinely lack, however, is a natural left-footed centre-back to provide balance next to Cubarsi. In that regard, the club would be better served pursuing a player of Aymeric Laporte’s profile, a left-footed, World Cup-winning defender, rather than simply retaining Araujo for the sake of squad depth.