Barcelona

Hansi Flick Urges Barcelona to Sell Veteran Defender in the Summer

by
Sushan Chakraborty
15 January 2026

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has reportedly asked the club to sell Ronald Araujo in the summer transfer window.

Flick is not happy with Araujo’s level since his return and believes his departure is necessary to sign a centre-back more suited to his project.

Araujo returned from a mental health break in Barcelona’s 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday. He came off the bench in the 90th minute and helped Barca hold Madrid off.

Hansi Flick Wants Barcelona to Sell Ronald Araujo

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes.net, Barcelona are going through an internal restructuring. Coach Hansi Flick has put merit at the forefront of his selection criteria. The German only wants players who have proven themselves consistently since the start of the season.

In defence, Eric Garcia and Gerard Martin have pleasantly surprised the manager with their commitment and the desire to improve. Pau Cubarsu, meanwhile, has become the leader in defence, even though he is still learning the trade.

Ronald Araujo has fallen short in this regard. Flick believes he has not done enough to become a regular in defence, and lead them in difficult moments. For the manager, the Uruguayan lacks reliability, which is necessary to win key trophies.

Vini checking up on Araújo at half-time of Sunday’s Clásico

IG/pablobefirst pic.twitter.com/b80iD9tzjA

— 433 (@433) January 14, 2026

President Joan Laporta has requested Flick to be patient with the 26-year-old, but he does not see a way back for the centre-back. Barcelona sporting director Deco agrees with Flick and believes keeping Araujo around will not be beneficial for the team.

Araujo, who was one of the most valuable players in Spain, has seen his valuation plummet in the last couple of seasons. Due to his physical and psychological issues, Araujo’s current market value is around €25 million.

With the wages freed and funds raised from Araujo’s transfer, Barcelona want to sign a pacey central defender with excellent distribution skills.

Real Madrid have moved for Barcelona’s top defensive target, but the Blaugrana are exploring alternatives.

Flick Shares Araujo Update Ahead of Racing Santander Clash

After claiming the biggest share of the 2026 Spanish Super Cup prize money, Barcelona turn their attention to the Copa del Rey.

After beating Guadalajara 2-0 in the Round of 32, Barcelona will travel to Sardinero for their Round of 16 clash with Racing Santander on Thursday.

After his cameo against Real Madrid, Araujo was expected to play a bigger part in the Copa del Rey. However, Flick did not give any such assurances.

Ronald Araujo was lifted up in the air by his Barcelona team-mates after making his return to action as a late substitute in the Supercopa de Espana final after requesting a period of absence in November.

With a trophy on his first game back, the Uruguayan could not have asked… pic.twitter.com/QmK3XD3wxX

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) January 11, 2026

“We’ll decide. We have to take care of him. We’ll decide tomorrow,” Flick said on the topic of Araujo.

Araujo has played 191 games for Barca’s senior team since 2020, scoring 12 goals. He has won two LaLiga titles, two Copas del Rey, and three Supercopas de Espana with the Catalan side.