Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo has reaffirmed his commitment to the Catalan club, delivering a blow to Arsenal, who had been monitoring the Uruguayan international as a potential defensive reinforcement.
Reports now confirm that Barcelona sporting director Deco has successfully persuaded the 25-year-old to stay, halting speculation over a possible departure.
Araújo, whose contract runs until June 2026, was previously linked to Arsenal and Juventus, with the Premier League side particularly eager to add competition for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.
However, Barcelona’s direct intervention, coupled with assurances about his role in the squad, appears to have shifted the player’s perspective.
Barcelona had faced growing uncertainty regarding Araújo’s future amid stalled contract talks and the defender’s frustrations over reduced playing time.
The defensive pairing of Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez had seemingly edged him out of the starting XI during key fixtures, most notably the Supercopa semifinal against Athletic Bilbao, where he failed to feature.
Further casting doubt on Araújo’s future was Barcelona’s pending acquisition of Jonathan Tah, set to join from Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer this summer.
While the Catalan club was open to capitalising on Araújo’s market value, particularly given the €1 billion release clause in his contract, Deco’s efforts have recalibrated the club’s defensive priorities.
For Arsenal, this marks a setback in their transfer window plans. Manager Mikel Arteta was reportedly keen on the defender’s physicality and tactical discipline to strengthen the team’s title ambitions.
Juventus had also expressed interest, though Araújo was believed to favour a move to England over Serie A. With Barcelona now intent on retaining him, the Italian club’s prospects of securing the defender have similarly evaporated.