Ronald Araujo to return to Barcelona on Monday for talks with Flick; Atletico Madrid monitoring

Published Jul 15, 06:16 AM UTC

Uruguayan center-back Ronald Araujo will officially return to Barcelona on July 20 after finishing his World Cup campaign. He will hold a key conversation with new head coach Hansi Flick to clarify his role for the upcoming season. Araujo, Barcelona's first captain with a contract until 2031, aims to regain his starting position through hard training. Last season, his return was complicated by mental health issues and positional shifts to right-back. Barcelona has multiple center-back options, creating fierce competition. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid, under coach Diego Simeone, is closely monitoring Araujo's situation due to their need for defensive reinforcements after Lenglet's departure. Atletico may pursue Araujo regardless of other transfer negotiations.