Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans eyeing English ace, Ronald Araujo planning contract talks with club, and more - January 12, 2025
Barcelona lock horns with Real Madrid at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday, January 12. Hansi Flick's team have already defeated their bitter rivals earlier this season in the league.
Meanwhile, the Catalans have set their sights on an English forward. Elsewhere, Ronald Araujo is planning to discuss his future with the LaLiga giants.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from January 12, 2024.
Barcelona eyeing Marcus Rashford
Barcelona are planning to move for Marcus Rashford this month, according to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. The English forward is no longer a first-team regular under new Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim.
Rashford hasn't featured for the Red Devils in the last seven games, adding to speculation regarding his future. He was also completely left out of the squad in four games. The 27-year-old has been a shadow of his former self in the past 18 months and it now appears that the club are willing to let him go.
The Catalans are eyeing the situation with interest as they look to add more firepower to his attack. Despite his struggles at Old Trafford, Rashford's stock remains high and the LaLiga giants believe that he could be a good addition to their squad.
Barcelona have reportedly held talks with the player's entourage regarding a deal this year. However, they are not the only club eyeing the Englishman, with AC Milan, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund also in the race.
Ronald Araujo planning contract talks with Catalans
Ronald Araujo is planning crunch talks with Barcelona to sort out his future, according to Diario SPORT. The Uruguayan's future has been subject to intense speculation in recent days.
Araujo missed the start of this season with an injury and is no longer a first-team regular under Hansi Flick. It has been suggested that the Catalans are willing to listen to offers for the 25-year-old this year.
Juventus have been named as a possible destination, but it now appears that the player wants to hold emergency talks with the LaLiga giant before deciding his future. If Araujo expresses a desire to leave in the meeting, Barcelona will open the doors to his departure this year.
Pedri opens up on renewal talks
Pedri has revealed that he is in talks with Barcelona regarding a new deal. The Spanish midfielder has been outstanding under Hansi Flick this season, registering four goals and three assists from 27 games across competitions.
He's started 25 of them, signifying his growing importance under the German manager. However, the 22-year-old's contract is all set to run out in 2026, and multiple clubs are apparently eyeing him with interest.
However, speaking to the press ahead of Sunday's El Clasico, Pedri insisted that talks regarding a new deal are progressing well.
“What my agents and the club tell me is that everything is going well. It’s not a good time to talk about renewals the day before a final. I’m more focused on the final than on my renewal,” said Pedri.
Pedri has scored 24 goals and set up 16 more from 170 games for the Catalans.
