Barcelona head coach Xavi is confident that Ronald Araujo will remain at Camp Nou amid the speculation surrounding the centre-back's future.

The 25-year-old has developed into one of the best central defenders in world football during his time at Barcelona, but there is uncertainty surrounding his future, as the Uruguay international's current contract only has little over two years left to run.

There have been suggestions that Barcelona would be prepared to listen to big-money offers for Araujo in the summer market, with the Catalan outfit under pressure to make some sales due to their financial situation.

Bayern Munich and Manchester United are both believed to be keen on the South American, with the two clubs thought to have been in touch in January.

Araujo has again been a vital player for the La Liga champions this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions, and he is again in the squad for Saturday's contest with Cadiz.

Xavi was asked about Araujo during his press conference on Friday, as the speculation surrounding the defender's future is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Barcelona head coach, who will stand down from his role this summer, branded the centre-back "very important" and claimed that he 'does not see Araujo anywhere else'.

"As for Araujo, he's very important, I don't see him anywhere else," Xavi told reporters.

Araujo made the move to Barcelona from Boston River in 2018, initially turning out for the club's B side before becoming a first-team regular during the 2020-21 campaign.

The Uruguayan has now featured on 145 occasions for the club and has secured three titles, lifting the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and La Liga trophies.

Can Barcelona afford to let Araujo leave?

There is no question that Araujo is one of Barcelona's most important players, and it would be a huge blow if the Catalan outfit lost him this summer considering his quality and leadership skills.

However, a big-money sale would do a lot for the club's finances, and any exit would be a substantial one in terms of a transfer fee, with as much as £70m potentially being demanded.

In an ideal world, Barcelona would have Araujo and the outstanding Pau Cubarsi as their two starting centre-backs next season, with Inigo Martinez potentially moving on this summer.

Marcos Alonso is also set to depart, while Jules Kounde is still being used largely as a right-back, although that could change when a new manager comes in this summer.

Araujo's future might well be linked to Mikayil Faye and his development, with the 19-year-old set to make his first-team debut before the end of the season. body check tags ::