Barça finds the best solution for Ronald Araújo: he's 23 and costs €55M

Ronald Araújo is once again at the center of the storm after his unnecessary sending off in the match against Chelsea. The Uruguayan was involved in two actions uncharacteristic of an elite defender and left the team shorthanded at a key moment. The Barça team showed their anger with the Uruguayan after the match, since this isn't the first time a similar situation has occurred in the Champions League.

After Chelsea-Barça, it's become clear that Flick must be careful when including Ronald Araújo in the line-up. When he's focused, he's a top-level defender, but his tendency to push the limits has created many dangerous situations for the Catalan team. As happened against PSG and Inter, Araújo has once again been exposed, and the Catalan club is already looking for solutions in the form of signings in the market.

Ronald Araújo runs out of chances

That kind of action affects the team, especially when the dynamic is fragile and every detail matters. Chelsea took advantage of the numerical superiority to dominate and expose Barça's weaknesses in defensive transition. The frustration after the match focused on a repeated idea: Barça need real alternatives so they don't depend so much on Ronald Araújo.

The internal feeling is that Ronald Araújo is leading the project toward disaster, and he doesn't provide the reliability needed for a team that aims to reclaim its place in Europe. His physique is imposing, his leadership is valuable, but his lapses in concentration can cost the team elimination. At Barça, those mistakes are very costly.

In this scenario, Deco is already searching for other options in the market, and it seems he has already identified a defender who fits in terms of age, potential, and price. The club's idea is for Ronald Araújo to leave in the summer and for the money from his sale to be used to sign the player Deco has been monitoring for weeks. The ideal candidate plays in the Premier League and has attracted the interest of the world's top teams.

Murillo, the ideal replacement for Ronald Araújo

The chosen option is Murillo, a Brazilian center-back from Nottingham Forest, whose emergence in the Premier League hasn't gone unnoticed by Barça. At 23 years old, he stands out for his defensive intelligence, his ability to anticipate, and his composure under high pressure. His competitive maturity has caught the attention of several top clubs, and Deco believes he has the ideal profile for the style Flick wants to implement.

Murillo is valued at €55 million ($55 million), a high amount but reasonable for a defender with the potential to become a European reference. His ball distribution is clean, he has a well-developed positional sense, and he shows well-measured aggression. In addition, his youth fits with the idea of rejuvenating the defense without losing reliability.

The swap of Ronald Araújo for Murillo would be great news for FC Barcelona. Deco is already studying the operation, which could become a reality in the summer if certain conditions are met. The first is for the Uruguayan to pack his bags and leave a significant amount of money in the Catalan club's coffers.