One-time Tottenham Hotspur target Julian Araujo is set to finally complete his protracted switch from MLS outfit LA Galaxy to La Liga giants Barcelona, Fabrizio Romano writes on Twitter.
It seems this long-running ‘will they, won’t they saga’ is set for a happy ending.
Barcelona, Goal say, missed the deadline to register Araujo by a mere 18 seconds on January 31st, subjected to an anxious wait after lodging a complaint with FIFA. Barca, ESPN add, blamed a ‘computer error’ for the delay. They were not the only La Liga club who found themselves in such a position either.
“I am not fully satisfied with the Cabral case,” Real Valladolid director Fran Garcia tells Marca when asked about Jovane Cabral, who was supposed to join from Sporting Lisbon on deadline day.
“I assume that it will be very, very difficult (to register Jovane). FIFA recognises that there was a mistake, but that it entered (the deal) out of time. These computer problems had a great impact on the final result of the operation.”
News of Barcelona’s breakthrough with Araujo should, perhaps, give Valladolid hope that Jovane will be given the green light too.
LA Galaxy ace Julian Araujo is finally set for Barcelona move
Araujo, Romano says, will belatedly travel to Catalonia on Thursday. The 21-year-old Mexico international, who represented the USA at youth level, will sign a long-term deal until the summer of 2026 at the Camp Nou, with Barcelona stumping up around £3.5 million.
“I’m delighted that he’s coming,” beams Mexico legend Rafa Marquez, now head coach of Barca B. “They’ve already been watching him since before I arrived.
“Now the situation has arisen, and I’m delighted. He’s going to be with me for a while and then move on to the first team. Let him do a bit adjusting. I hope he has a nice career here.”
Tottenham, according to the Sunday Mirror, showed an interest in Araujo a couple of years ago. Shortly before the youngster received the first of his two MLS Team of the Year nods. The attack-minded Araujo produced 14 assists in fewer than 100 league games for LA Galaxy.
And Barcelona will be hoping the California-born flyer can help solve Xavi’s long-running right-back issue; centre-half Jules Kounde forced to fill in on the flank for much of this season. Hector Bellerin’s short-term stay came to an end recently too. The Spaniard joined Sporting Lisbon as a replacement for Pedro Porro.
“There are some tricky pieces to this,” LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney told ESPN. “We have to continue to consider ourselves moving forward. At the same time, we want to be able to help Jules out, and give him the best opportunity to keep moving forward as well.”
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