- 6 hours ago
Arsenal ready to spend €200m as Arteta ‘OBSESSED’ with Barcelona star
Robin Bairner
- 24 Mar 2025 02:00 CDT
- 3 min read
News
Arsenal are set for a busy summer, with Barcelona set to be a benefactor of Mikel Arteta’s spending spree as the Gunners boss is “obsessed” with one Blaugrana player.
While Arsenal have generally been linked with attacking players when the season ends, the Barcelona player that El Nacional reports the manager is in love with is Ronald Araujo, a Uruguay international centre-back.
Current ETV
Ronald Araújo
D (C)
Barcelona
Ronald Araújo
D (C)
Barcelona
ETV Range
€50.9M - €62.2M
The Premier League side are ready to pay €60 million for a player one described by Xavi as the best centre-back in the world.
Araujo, 26, is under contract until 2031 with Barcelona and Arsenal are said to see him as an ideal partner for William Saliba, meaning that Gabriel would be the player to suffer should Arsenal successfully prise him from the Camp Nou side.
Arteta it is claimed, admires the player’s intensity, speed, aerial play and leadership.
Meanwhile, Barcelona could be willing to sell. Araujo has found himself peripheral to Hansi Flick’s squad lately due to the rise of Pau Cubarsi and the transfer fee he would bring in would be significant.
Arsenal planning a big summer
On top of Araujo, Arsenal are “intent” on signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, according to GiveMeSport.
FootballTransfers has already revealed that Zubimendi is close to signing for the club, while detailing the Gunners’ pursuit of Cunha. Nico Williams is still thought to be the leading wing target, according to our information, with Arsenal in pole position to make that happen.
In total, this pair are worth €135m, which means if they sign them both plus Ronald Araujo, their summer spend will come to just short of €200m.
On top of this, though, Arteta also wants to add a striker to his ranks, with Alexander Isak of Newcastle and Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig the leading candidates in this area.
Arsenal are, therefore, on course for a record-breaking summer in the transfer market.
