Barcelona want to renew key defender’s contract until 2029 or 2030 with a significant pay raise

Even though the summer transfer window is four months away, the rumour mill is abuzz with speculations surrounding a host of Barcelona players.

One of the stars who finds himself in the thick of it is star defender and third captain Ronald Araujo. The 24-year-old has emerged as a top target for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who are prepared to shell out €100 million for him in the summer.

And, in order to avoid losing Araujo to the Bavarian giants, Barcelona are eager to offer him a new contract and tie down his long-term future.

Idea is to renew until 2029 or 2030

Barcelona director Deco met with Araujo’s agents Edmundo Kabchi and Edoardo Crnjar on Wednesday, and the discussions yielded a positive outcome.

The club assured the defender’s agents that he is not for sale while the player’s representatives also informed the Catalans that he is happy and not looking to leave.

Now, MARCA is reporting that Barcelona will sit down with Araujo’s representatives again in the future to discuss a contract extension for the defender.

A new contract on the way. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The key defender’s current deal runs until the summer of 2026 with a €1 billion release clause and a gross salary of a little over €10 million.

And, according to the report, Barça’s idea is to tie Araujo down to a long-term contract until 2029 or 2030 depending on when the deal is signed.

On top of the long-term extension, the Blaugrana also wish to reward the Uruguayan with a significant raise in salary.

For now, though, both parties agreed that the focus should be on turning things around on the pitch for the rest of the season. Talks over a renewal will take place in the future, with both Araujo and Barcelona wanting the same.