Don't treat Ronald Araujo as a Barcelona youth product
When Ronald Araujo signed his first contract with Barcelona, a few fine hairs were already peeking out like a goatee. He was 19 and an important player for Uruguay U20s. He cost over 1.5 million euros. When he arrived at Barcelona he was already a man. His first team was Barça B and with Garcia Pimienta, he learned all he needed to be a Barcelona centre-back and a real man. Araujo showed quickly that he likes to win, learn, enjoy and that he belonged in the first team squad, it was not too big a stage for him and he didn’t care what coach was in charge. He was ready.
That the present is his and he is Blaugrana is obvious, as much as considering him a ‘cantera’ player would be a big error. He was not and he will never be. And that marks a career. Araujo arrived to play in the B team, and after working a lot, plays in the first team. Not the Juveniles, or Cadetes, or Infantiles or Alevines. Araujo has not grown up drinking from the Barcelona teat, beyond whatever he picked up at Barca B. That may seem secondary, but it isn’t. You can’t ask the same from him that you ask of Gavi, who was a Cute before he was a professional. And he will never be like Nico, who rejected a huge offer from Man City to make his dream come true.
Ronald Araujo is a hunk of a centre-back, who, if he wants, will make history at Barcelona. But don’t ask of him more commitment than the usual commitment of a professional football player - money. When day after day teams appear with interest in him, PSG, United, whoever, they look for reason in his agents who already have shown the negotiations can be solved with notes. That’s his right, because it’s what the sport is about now, beyond those who come to Camp Nou with their scarfs believing that Araujo is part of the group of players that are succeeding in the first team after coming through from youth levels. No, Araujo did not come from the cantera but arrived at Barcelona half a man who is becoming one of the great players. And for that, he wants to be paid as such. The club have to decide now if he deserves it already or if he should look for it elsewhere.
