Barcelona captain admits to dressing room he is considering an exit – report | OneFootball

In a significant development at Barcelona, Ronald Araujo, the stalwart defender and one of the club captains, has reportedly expressed to his teammates his contemplation of leaving the club.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Araujo feels ‘burnt out’ due to various internal circumstances at Barcelona, casting doubts on his long-term future with the Catalans.

Araujo’s struggles at Barcelona

The Uruguayan has been struggling to secure a spot in the starting lineup since recovering from a prolonged hamstring injury that kept him out for months.

Under Hansi Flick’s management, the defensive partnership of Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez has solidified, with Araujo notably absent from the pitch during the recent Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club.

This situation has been exacerbated by Barcelona’s proactive approach in the transfer market, with the club reportedly close to signing Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen.

Will Araujo leave Barcelona this January? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Tah’s contract expires at the end of the season and the German could potentially join Barcelona on a free transfer next summer.

The potential arrival of the Leverkusen superstar could significantly impact Barcelona’s contract talks with Araujo, which is already causing tension between the two parties.

Recent reports indicate that Araujo feels he deserves to be paid more – a position Barcelona do not share.

As such, Araujo has made it clear in the dressing room that he is considering leaving the club. The report adds that if he were to leave, his preference would be the Premier League, where Arsenal has shown interest alongside Juventus.

The Italian club’s allure is strengthened by Araujo’s agent having connections in Italy. In fact, the Uruguayan international could be set for a medical next week, though the report does reveal the defender’s desire to play under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.