A permanent deal for Julian Araujo may be in jeopardy, with the defender reportedly on huge wages at Bournemouth. A move would see the defender having to take a massive pay cut.
Since arriving at Celtic in the winter transfer window on loan, supporters have fallen in love with Araujo. The Mexican has proven that he deserves to wear the hoops and has been the standout signing of the window.
Fans have been hoping that a permanent move can be struck for the player, with his brother even teasing that it is a possibility on Instagram at the weekend, but could his wages end up being a deciding factor?
There is no doubt that the Premier League is a financially massive division, and it's hard for even huge clubs like Celtic to match it. They can offer their players wages that they can't get anywhere else, and sadly, that may be the case for Araujo.
According to the Record Celtic Podcast, the finances involved in his contract could be big. They said:
"I’m led to believe it’s somewhere north of £65,000 to £70,000 a week, which is beyond Celtic.
For Araujo to stay at Celtic, he’d need to take a pay cut for a start. Celtic can afford to buy him, but they wouldn’t pay £70,000 a week, that’s for sure.
You’re in that kind of £60,000 a week plus ballpark, and that’s the going rate for a back-up right-back in the Premier League.
He’s still got a couple of years left on his deal at Bournemouth. So financially, it’s a tricky one."
Despite this recent statement, other reports have his wages listed as between £20,000 and £30,000, which would be a much more affordable range for Celtic.
Will this affect a possible deal?
If it's true that his wages are that much, then it could put any potential deal at risk. His brother hit out on Instagram, replying to people asking Araujo to sign by saying, 'pay him'. It could already be clear that the club aren't willing to match the finances that Bournemouth are offering.
You can't entirely blame them either. According to a report from the start of the season by 67 Hail Hail, Kieran Tierney is the Hoops' best-paid player, with him sitting on £50,000 per week. A deal for Araujo could match that, or even knock it out of the park.
Alistair Johnston will be returning from injury soon, and should he reclaim his starting spot, the desperate need for Araujo may be no more. Still, supporters would love to see him at the club, so let's pray that a deal can be done in the summer.