Say what you want about Ronald Koeman, he certainly left a legacy at the Camp Nou.
During 14 largely frought months in charge of the La Liga giants, Koeman handed Barcelona debuts to Pedri, Nico Gonzalez, Gavi, Oscar Mingueza and more.
And while you can argue that the Dutchman had little choice but to put his faith in the club’s latest crop of La Masia graduates – Barcelona’s dire financial situation certainly saw to that – Koeman does deserve some semblance of credit for laying the foundations for a bold new era.
Ronald Araujo, meanwhile, was supposed to be one the pillars holding up a the next Catalan kingdom, a wonderfully talented centre-half who has blossomed like a lonely rose in a scorched desert over the last 12 months.
“I’m very happy to have Ronald on the team,” Xavi Hernandez, Koeman’s successor, said after the Uruguayan’s stellar showing in a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Villarreal last time out.
“He has such a great personality. He celebrates everything and to have that type of profile as a defender, to be so engaged with the team, and celebrate everything is hard to find.
“It’s spectacular to see him train. He’s so positive, he has an excellent character and that’s fundamental to us.”
Will Barcelona have to sell Ronald Araujo to Liverpool?
Xavi has been tasked with bringing the glory days back to Barcelona, instilling the sort of free-flowing, possession-based football that became synonymous with the trophy-laden eras of Pep Guardiola and Johan Cruyff.
The Blaugrana legend is no miracle worker however – nor is he an accountant extraordinaire, capable of making that billion-pound debt disappear in the blink of an eye.
Xavi’s appointment may have brought some semblance of optimism back to Barcelona fanbase but the clouds hanging over the Camp Nou are still grey in hue.
And, according to ESPN, there are serious concerns that Barcelona will not be able to meet Araujo’s wage demands as they look to tie the Uruguay international down to a new five-year deal.
Fears are growing, too, that Premier League giants Liverpool or Manchester United could lure one of the most talented young defenders in the world away from La Liga.
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