Barcelona key defender will undergo tests next week to determine extent of injury

There is significant concern about Ronald Araujo’s situation at Barcelona. The club still do not know the extent of the injury he suffered on duty with the Uruguayan National Team, and the club fear the setback could be a serious one.

The player was expected to arrive in Catalonia earlier this week to undergo a detailed diagnosis of his injury.

Now, however, there appears to be a change in plans with Araujo opting to stay back to be part of Uruguay’s third-place fixture from the sidelines.

Tests later this week

As revealed in a recent update via Mundo Deportivo, Araujo has opted to stay back in the United States for the third-place clash later today and will travel back to Catalonia tomorrow.

The centre-back will thus land in Barcelona on Sunday night and will undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury on Monday. His recovery plan will be decided after a thorough diagnosis.

Araujo suffered an injury while playing for Uruguay. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

The initial layoff period expected for Araujo is said to be around eight weeks. Considering that he was injured less than a week ago, the defender is expected to not only miss pre-season under Hansi Flick but also the start of the new season.

Impact on a transfer

Ronald Araujo is central to Barcelona’s plan despite the managerial change and is expected to continue as the team’s first-choice defender next season.

His contractual situation, however, has allowed doubts to creep in regarding his future, especially considering that he is yet to respond to Barcelona’s renewal offer.

With sales much needed at the Catalan capital, Araujo’s exit was thus one of the possibilities considered for the summer. His injury, however, once again leaves his future unclear.