In January, a deal was struck that would send L.A. Galaxy defender and Lompoc native, Julian Araujo, to Barcelona FC. On Thursday, Feb. 16, he landed in Spain to start his training with the club despite the uncertainty still surrounding the deal.
The transfer was originally completed but the paperwork required for Araujo to be registered with his new club missed FIFA'S deadline by just 18 seconds.
Barca originally blamed computer issues for the Deadline Day debacle and has since appealed FIFA's decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to decide if he can play this season.
In the meantime, the contract Araujo signed is still active as he is now training with the club's B team who play in the Spanish third tier.
While Araujo is training with his new club, it is unknown what will happen if C-A-S do not rule in his favor.
Araujo attended Lompoc High school before ironically attending the Barca Academy in 2017 located in Arizona. He joined the L.A. Galaxy Academy team a year later and made his professional debut in March of 2019.
