Everything you need to know about Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo after his recent links to Aston Villa.
The 2024 summer transfer window is a big opportunity for Villa. After qualifying for the Champions League and reaching the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, the club has a big opportunity to kick on.
Despite the achievements of Villa’s first team, there were also faults. The backline was a big issue in 2024, with the club struggling to get clean sheets.
As a result, it will please Villa fans to see rumours that Barcelona defender Araujo could join the club this summer.
This article explains everything you need to know about Araujo including what legendary defender Carles Puyol thought of his ability.
What is Ronald Araujo’s age and height?
Araujo was born on March 7, 1999. This makes him 25 years old at the time of writing. The defender also stands at 1.88 metres which is six foot two inches.
Where was Ronald Araujo born?
Araujo was born in Rivera, Uruguay, a city on the border of Argentina to the north.
Is he an international player?
Yes, Araujo made his debut for Uruguay in 2020 in a 4-2 defeat against Ecuador. At the time of writing, he has played 16 times for his country and was selected in both the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup squads.
His first and only goal for Uruguay came against South American rivals Argentina, with Araujo placing the ball past Emi Martinez in a 2-0 win.
Where does Ronald Araujo play?
Mainly used as a defender, Araujo is normally played as a centre-half. However, he can be deployed as a right back when needed.
What are Ronald Araujo’s stats for Barcelona?
At Barcelona, Araujo is a regular for the club. In the 2023/24 campaign, he played 37 times in all competitions keeping 10 clean sheets.
This has taken his total appearances up to 150 for the Spanish giants where he has scored eight times.
Is Ronald Araujo good?
During his six-year stay at Barcelona, Araujo has lifted three trophies – a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España.
In their 2022/23 title-winning campaign, Araujo formed a sensational partnership with Andreas Christensen. This helped Barcelona keep 16 clean sheets, the most in Europe’s top five leagues.
He has since helped captain the club on multiple occasions.
Former Barcelona captain and legend Carles Puyol praised Araujo last year, telling Mundo Deportivo: “He’s having a very good season, he’s in extraordinary condition. I’ll stick with what they’ve told me, because I don’t know him personally, but he’s very professional, humble, he always gives his best in training and matches and that’s where his performance is.
“Right now, if he’s not the best central defender in the world, he’s among the top three. He’s young, he still has room for improvement and I think we have a very good central defender at Barcelona for many years to come”.
Are Aston Villa interested in Ronald Araujo?
After issues at the back throughout the season, it is believed that Villa are looking to bring in a top defender to solve this problem.
Araujo is one centre-back who has been linked to Villa this summer. According to reports, Monchi and Unai Emery were present at a recent Barcelona match with a specific focus on the defender.
What is Barcelona’s asking price?
It is believed that Barcelona want £68 million for Araujo. While Villa are interested, it is not believed that they will match their valuation at present.
Villa are eager to sell Diego Carlos before making a move for Araujo.
The post Who is Ronald Araujo? The Barcelona defender hailed by Carles Puyol who is piquing Aston Villa’s interest appeared first on Aston Villa News.