Barcelona star speaks about his future at the club and claims Lionel Messi is 'always welcome' to return
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has touched on his future at the club while admitting Lionel Messi will always be welcomed back at Camp Nou.
Araujo has been a standout performer for the Blaugrana as they won the La Liga title for the first time since 2019. The Uruguayan defender has featured 31 times across competitions, helping his side keep 18 clean sheets. He has also chipped in with three goal contributions.
The 24-year-old center-back garnered interest from Manchester United and Liverpool before signing a new deal with Barcelona in April 2022. He is contracted to the Catalan giants until 2026 and appears keen to remain with Xavi's side. He said (via Fabrizio Romano) regarding his future:
“I’m under contract here at Barça until June 2026 but there’s also chance to extend the agreement — I’m very happy here."
Araujo was also asked about Lionel Messi's potential return to Camp Nou. The Argentine icon is set to leave PSG at the end of the season and Barca are interested in sealing his return:
“Messi’s return? He’s always welcome here."
Messi, 35, left Barcelona in 2021 when the Catalan club were unable afford a new contract for their iconic forward. He scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games during his time in Catalonia.
Araujo was just emerging from the youth system at the back end of Messi's time with the Blaugrana. However, the duo won the Copa del Rey together in the 2020/21 season.
Lionel Messi and Neymar video called Barcelona players during title celebrations
Barcelona sealed the La Liga title with a 4-2 win over cross-city rivals Espanyol last Sunday (May 14). According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Lionel Messi and Neymar spoke with some of the Blaugrana players on video calls during the celebrations.
Messi also joined Araujo in a video call on his Instagram to which the Uruguayan stated:
"Who’s there? Messi? Damn!”
Messi and Neymar's futures are up in the air amid PSG's willingness to overhaul their squad this summer. The Argentine icon has almost certainly decided to depart the Parc des Princes.
Meanwhile, Neymar reportedly wants to return to Barca but the club are not keen on resigning him. The Brazilian scored 105 goals and provided 76 assists in 186 games during his time at Camp Nou. However, his exit was an unceremonious one as he made a world-record €222 million transfer to PSG in 2017.