Ronald Araujo: Why coveted Barcelona centre-back is questioning his future amid Bayern Munich transfer links - explained

Catalunya Radio claim that the 25-year-old remains keen to remain in Barcelona but is increasingly aware of speculation linking him with an end-of-season transfer, with Bayern Munich said to be admirers of the powerful defender.

Barcelona's financial woes are well documented and having already used a number of financial levers that leveraged future earnings for instant capital, the club may now explore the more traditional way of generating cash in the summer transfer market.

In accounting terms it is a more attractive proposition to sell a player that has been at the club for a significant number of years, whose initial fee has fully amortised - hence why Araujo's name has been consistently linked with a departure.

While Araujo is often mistaken for a Barcelona youth product, he actually arrived as a 19-year-old having played in the Uruguayan Primera Division with Boston River. He spent two season with Barcelona's B team before breaking through to the first team at Camp Nou.

TheBlaugrana will look to steady the ship after a bruising Champions League exit and Clasico defeat with a rare Monday night appointment against European hopefuls Valencia. The club's accountants will have a particularly keen interest in the team clinching second place in La Liga and a ticket to next season's lucrative Spanish Super Cup.