Barcelona defender’s contract renewal continues to get complicated

As we head towards the final phase of the campaign, Barcelona are expected to speed up the process of extending the contracts of several underpaid stars.

Ronald Araujo, for one, could be under the spotlight, as the defender’s current contract expires at the end of next season. Barcelona have tried to renew the youngster’s contract in the past but haven’t had a whole lot of success.

As one of the lowest-paid defenders in the first-team, Araujo is understandably looking for a lucrative new deal, even though he is happy with life under Xavi Hernandez.

According to a report from Directo Gol, Barcelona are currently working on renewing the contract of Araujo. The situation is a bit chaotic right now, but the club are confident of their chances of convincing the player.

At the same time, Barcelona admit it could be a difficult operation, as Araujo is currently among the most undervalued members of the first team. It would require a lucrative sum to convince him to prolong his stay at Camp Nou.

It was reported last month that Barcelona were hoping to complete the renewal of Araujo by the end of March, with the club also keen on raising the defender’s current release clause from €200 million to €1 billion in order to fend off interest from other clubs.

Araujo already has other offers on his table, including Premier League hotshots, which could further compound the issue for the board.

The Premier League clubs have been linked with the Uruguayan international in the past, so Barca must move swiftly if they are to keep hold of the young defender, whose prolonged stay at Camp Nou could be vital for the club’s progression under Xavi Hernandez.