Barcelona star insists £86m Arsenal transfer target ‘belongs’ at the Camp Nou

Barcelona star Ronald Araujo believes Julian Alvarez ‘belongs’ at Barcelona as Arsenal and Chelsea weigh up a move for the striker.

Alvarez, 26, left Manchester City to join Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2024 in a £81million move to the Wanda Metropolitano. But half way through his second season in the Spanish capital, there are growing doubts over his future at the club.

Arsenal are weighing up a move for the World Cup winner with sporting director Andrea Berta directly involved in the move that took Alvarez to Atletico 18 months ago.

Chelsea have also been credited with keen interest in the former River Plate star.

Reports in Spain however claim Alvarez is not prioritising a return to England and would instead opt for a move to Barcelona if an offer arrives.

The Catalan giants are also huge admirers of the player but with an offer in the excess of €100million (£86m) needed to even tempt Atletico into doing business, their financial position could leave a deal out of their reach.

Barcelona captain Araujo is among Alvarez’s many admirers and insists the best players like the Argentine ‘belong’ at the club.

‘He’s a great player; for me, he’s one of the best strikers in the world. You can see the quality he has,’ Araujo told Mundo Deportivo.

‘The best players belong at the best club, which is us. That’s obvious. But it’s not my job to do that or make that decision.’

Araujo has recently returned from football granted a leave of absence by Barcelona in December having sought professional help to deal with anxiety issues that also led to depression.

The Uruguay international was sent off in a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in November with that night marking the moment he realised he needed help.

‘When the match finished I felt like everything was falling into me,’ Araujo said.

‘I had been suffering (with) anxiety for a year and a half, and then it turned into depression. I was playing with that.

‘It does not help, because when you’re on the pitch you don’t feel like yourself. I know my value and what I can add to the team, but I was not feeling well and knew something was going on.

‘It did me very good and now I feel like a totally different person.’

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