Ronald Araujo : Barcelona defender agrees new deal until 2026 with 1bn euro buyout clause

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has agreed a contract until 2026 with a 1bn euro (£841m) buyout clause.

Araujo's previous contract with the Spanish club was set to expire in 2023.

The Uruguayan, 23, has played 26 times in La Liga this season, scoring four goals, including one in a 4-0 win against Real Madrid.

"He has proved himself to be the present and future for Barca, becoming an integral part of the Blaugrana defence," the club said in a statement.

"His talents in defence and scoring goals mean he is a key player for years to come."

Araujo joined Barcelona on a five-year contract from Uruguayan club Boston River in 2018.

In 2019, he came off the bench to make his first-team debut against Sevilla but was sent off 14 minutes later after bringing down Javier Hernandez.

He has made nine appearances for his national side Uruguay, making his senior debut in 2020.

There was money on the table from the Premier League sides was higher than Barca's offer, but sources have told that the player's priority was always to remain at Camp Nou.

Araujo, 23, has been on the same terms at Barca since 2018, when he first joined the club's B team from Boston River in his homeland in a deal worth an initial €2 million.

That made him one of the lowest-paid players in the first team going into the current campaign, with his agents keen for his salary to rise according to his new status at the club.

Araujo and Christensen will compete with Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia for a place in the middle of Barca's defence next season, with the club open to offers for Clement Lenglet, Oscar Mingueza and Samuel Umtiti.