Federico Valverde is one of Real Madrid’s leaders this season and the player who has been performing at historic levels with Real Madrid since joining the team in 2018.
The Uruguayan player has become very influential in the Real Madrid dressing room and is highly respected by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper Defensa Central: The Uruguayan midfielder has a strong relationship with Ronald Araujo, Barcelona defender, although Real Madrid showed interest in him before his move to Barcelona, the royal club did not take serious steps to sign him during that period.
The player’s current contract with Barcelona expires on June 30, 2026, and he is 25 years old, which makes him an attractive target for many clubs. However, Barcelona is asking for more than 100 million euros for his transfer, which may be a high amount for some clubs.
The newspaper added that Valverde suggested to Real Madrid officials to sign the Barcelona defender and it would be a historic reinforcement for Real Madrid at the defense level.
Araujo’s injury during the Copa America kept him out for several months, which made clubs hesitant to sign him during the last summer transfer window.
Therefore, if the player decides to renew his contract with Barcelona, the summer of 2025 may be the last chance for the club to make a good profit from his departure before the end of his contract.
On the other hand, the high transfer price may restrict the movement of clubs wishing to sign him, as clubs can wait until 2026 to sign the player as a free agent, which gives them greater negotiating power.
It is clear that Barcelona would prefer to avoid selling Araujo to Real Madrid, as the Catalan club would prefer to sell him to any other team rather than their traditional rivals.
As a result, it seems that Real Madrid’s chances of signing Araujo may be limited, and they may have to wait until the player becomes a free agent in 2026, a move that is not common among players.