Barcelona have confirmed the £8.5m sale of a young defender while setting their sights on a new midfield target. Despite ongoing transfer rumors, the club will retain a key midfielder for now. The moves signal a busy period for Barcelona as they navigate their squad changes and future ambitions. What’s next for their transfer plans remains to be seen.
Barcelona announced the £8.5m transfer of their young defender
\Araujo, 22, spent last season on loan at Las Palmas and was eager to break into Hansi Flick‘s plans at Barcelona this season. However, he found himself far down the pecking order during pre-season.
Bournemouth began negotiations earlier this month, and Barcelona has now confirmed Araujo’s €10m move to the Premier League.
“I wanted to do pre-season with Barcelona and respect my contract, but once I heard the opportunity that came up, I told my agent to stop our negotiations with other teams,” Araujo said.
“I found it very exciting. I had a conversation with the coach and the sporting director, and everything sounded very exciting to me.”
Since joining Barcelona from LA Galaxy in 2023, Araujo didn’t make a first-team appearance. However, he did score twice during his loan spell at Las Palmas last season.
“FC Barcelona publicly expresses its gratitude to Araujo for his dedication and commitment, and wishes him all the best for the future,” A brief statement from the club read.
Barcelona will likely elevate 18-year-old Hector Fort to the senior squad next season to bolster the right-back position. However, discussions with Manchester City to re-sign Joao Cancelo, either on loan or permanently, are still underway.
Under former coach Xavi, Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo filled in at right-back. Kounde started right-back in Hansi Flick’s first pre-season match, but 20-year-old left-back Alex Valle has logged the most minutes in recent friendlies.
Barcelona set to compete with Atletico Madrid for midfield target
Barcelona has no plans to bring in a new defensive midfielder before the summer transfer window closes. Hansi Flick is confident in his options, including the recently promoted Marc Casado and Marc Bernal. However, this situation could change in the coming weeks.
Reports suggest that Barcelona will reassess its midfield situation after its La Liga opener against Valencia. Based on the performances of its current midfielders, it might pursue a new signing, with N’Golo Kante being a potential target.
Kante, also a target for Atletico Madrid, is intent on leaving Al-Ittihad this summer, just a year after joining the Saudi Arabian club from Chelsea. Barcelona have admired the experienced French midfielder since his time in England.
The challenge for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is that Al-Ittihad has little interest in letting Kante go this summer. Although both clubs might pursue a loan deal, this stance indicates that securing such a move could be nearly impossible.
Barcelona’s key midfielder will stay this summer despite transfer rumors
Barcelona’s two new signings made their debuts on the field at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys before last night’s game, when the Blaugrana faced AS Monaco for the Joan Gamper Trophy.
With two new arrivals boosting the team, Hansi Flick’s side must now focus on offloading some players. The club is still grappling with the financial crisis that is severely impacting its transfer activity.
Frenkie de Jong is one of the key players rumored to be leaving. Still, his recent injury has complicated matters for the Blaugranas.
Expected to remain
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Catalans were willing to sell De Jong for €60 million this summer, a notable reduction from the earlier asking price.
A move wasn’t ultimately dismissed, with Manchester United showing interest in the midfielder. However, recent reports from Santi Ovalle indicate that the Dutchman will remain with the team and continue as part of Hansi Flick’s plans for the upcoming season.
This is a significant setback for Barcelona’s transfer plans, as selling him was considered a key move to comply with the 1:1 rule.
An unusual injury
The midfield star was injured during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid in late April. Although the initial prognosis was favorable, he didn’t recover in time for the Euros. He was anticipated to be ready for pre-season.
The US tour is over, and Barcelona focuses on their first official game of the new season.
De Jong still has no update or estimated return date, and his situation remains a major concern.
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