"We must not forget the quality he possesses" - Deco praises struggling Barcelona star, labels him as one of the best in his position
Barcelona sporting director Deco has lavished praise on Ronald Araujo following a difficult season for the Uruguayan defender. The Catalan giants enjoyed a brilliant season, winning three trophies, but Araujo's role has been pretty diminished.
The Uruguayan was touted as a leader of the Barcelona backline for many years to come, but he has been only a squad player this season. He suffered an injury during the Copa America back last summer and missed the entire first half of the campaign.
He has struggled to break into Hansi Flick's setup since his return from injury. Youngster Pau Cubarsi and veteran Inigo Martinez have forged a brilliant centre-back partnership. Araujo has also made several costly errors when he has played and has been criticized by fans.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has backed Araujo to come back to his best and reminded that he is one of the best players in his position. He also insisted that he wants the 26-year-old to stay at Camp Nou despite interest from elsewhere. He said, as quoted by Sempre Barca:
“For me, Araujo is one of the best center-backs in the world. But it’s true that players, for various reasons, can have a down season. He joined a team that was playing at a very high level, but we must not forget the quality he possesses. From now on, players need to be fully committed to Barça to stay at the club. I believe Ronald is happy here.”
Araujo joined Barcelona in 2018 from Boston River and has been an important player for the Blaugrana. He has made 174 appearances for the club and has won six trophies, including two LaLiga titles.
Deco confims European giants' interest in Barcelona sensation last summer
Barcelona sporting director Deco has admitted that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) approached wonderkid Lamine Yamal last summer. The Spaniard has established himself as a key player for both the club and Spain at a very young age and looks destined for the top.
At just 17, he has already made 105 appearances for the Catalan club, scoring 25 times and providing 34 assists. Hailed as the crown jewel of the club, he is an indispensable member of Hansi Flick's LaLiga-winning side.
Deco has revealed that PSG pursued a move for the youngster last summer but also insisted that Real Madrid did not make an offer. He told RAC1:
"Yes, last season, not this one yet, but what we want is for him to stay. We don't want to listen to offers, PSG asked, but Real Madrid didn't."
Various reports claimed that PSG made a bid worth €250 million for Yamal last year, which was turned down by Barcelona. He has enjoyed a fantastic season under Flick, scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists in 54 games across competitions.