Reports: Ronald Araujo spurns potential Juventus move, will stay at Barcelona

01/16/2025 12:35 AM

Nice little leverage plan you did there, Ronald.

Juventus may be close to officially adding a Randal, but the same doesn't look like it's happen with the Bianconeri signing a Ronald over the next couple of weeks.

Basically, what looked like a potential addition is no longer on the list.

According to reports from Fabrizio Romano and Mundo Deportivo in Spain on Wednesday, Juventus' potential move for Barcelona defender Araujo has seemingly come to an end. That is because the 25-year-old Uruguayan defender has decided to stay at Barcelona after a lengthy meeting with Barca sporting director Deco in which it basically ended with an agreement that Araujo will sign a new contract with the club.

Araujo's current contract with Barcelona runs through 2026.

Just a few short hours after reports of his decision to stay with Barcelona came out, Araujo was in the starting lineup for Wednesday night's Copa del Rey Round of 16 tie against Real Betis.

With no a move for Araujo very much unlikely all of the sudden, Juventus must now pivot to try and find a central defender to sign during the January transfer window. The first signing to give some much-needed defensive help has come in the form of Vitória Guimarães fullback Alberto Costa, who officially joined Juventus later in the day Wednesday. But the need for a central defender to provide some sort of depth behind Pierre Kalulu and Federico Gatti still very much remains the top priority for the final two weeks of January.

In the wake of the talks for Araujo suddenly coming to an end, the same group of names have been thrown out there as potential pivot moves. Defenders like Milan's Fikayo Tomori as well as Dávid Hancko of Feyenoord and Kevin Danso from Lens in Ligue 1.

All three of those names come with their own challenges — which, unsurprisingly, have to do with the financial aspect of things, especially for Hancko and Danso. Another name that seems unlikely at the moment, Benfica's Antonio Silva, would very much like to leave, according to previous reports, but is basically be blocked and isn't considered on the market by his current employer.

So, with Araujo no longer in the picture unless something seriously flips in Juventus' favor over the next couple of days, it's time to see how Cristiano Giuntoli pivots. Mostly because he has to do just that to ensure that there's at least one other central defender in bianconero before January comes to an end.