Barcelona reject Ronald Araujo offer from Juventus as La Liga giants slap €70m asking price on defender

Per Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants received an initial offer from Juventus for Araujo which they rejected as they consider the Uruguayan defender an an important member of the squad. The report adds that the only way Barcelona will allow Araujo to leave in the winter is if a club comes up with an offer worth €70million (£58m/$72m).

The 25-year-old central defender missed the first half of the 2024-25 campaign with a hamstring injury. His first appearance of the season came in the club's 4-0 win over Barbastro in the Copa del Rey earlier this month where he played the full 90 minutes. Despite his fitness issues, the Catalan club are hoping to retain his services at least for the remainder of the current campaign. His existing deal at Barcelona expires in the summer of 2026.

Amid uncertainty over Araujo's future at the club, Sport has reported that Barcelona are interested in a January deal for Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford, after they met the 1:1 rule in La Liga, allowing them to strengthen in the winter window.

Hansi Flick's side will aim to claim their first trophy of the season on Sunday as they take on rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final in Saudi Arabia.