Julian Araujo: Wilfried Nancy’s first signing solves Celtic's biggest problem

Robin Bairner

Updated: 2 Jan 2026 13:52 GMT
6 min read

Julian Araujo promises to be an excellent first signing for Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy, with the Bournemouth defender arriving on loan to address one of the major weaknesses that has undermined the Hoops in recent weeks.

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Former Barcelona B team defender Araujo moved to the Cherries in the summer of 2024 in a deal worth €10 million but has since struggled to make an impact in the Premier League.

A loan to Celtic will give the 24-year-old the opportunity to experience the physicality of British football and get crucial minutes in his legs as he pushes for a World Cup berth for Mexico.

Current ETV

Julián Araujo

D (R)

B'mouth

Julián Araujo

D (R)

B'mouth

ETV Range

€12.6M - €15.4M

Alistair Johnston, the Hoops’ first-choice option in the role, is sidelined with a hamstring injury that is not expected to see him back in action until March at the earliest. Araujo should, therefore, get plenty of game time.

“We are delighted to bring Julian to Celtic. He is a really talented player with a good level of experience and we think the qualities he will bring will be really beneficial to the squad,” Nancy told Celtic’s official website of the player, who he saw close at hand in MLS with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Araujo could get his first taste of action on Saturday, when Celtic host Rangers in a vital Glasgow derby.

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Araujo has star potential at Celtic

Araujo is primarily a wing-back, so he fits into Nancy’s favoured 3-4-3 formation, which he appears intent on sticking to.

Although he has struggled in the Premier League this season, the Mexico international was largely used as a full-back, which did not seem to play to his strengths.

Data analytics experts SciSports believe that Araujo will be one of the best players at Celtic. Using its SciSkill measurement, which is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points, he is rated as the fifth-strongest player in the team with a better score than regular option Johnston.

What will he bring to the team?

While at Las Palmas on loan during the 2023/24 season, which was the last campaign in which he received sizeable minutes, he ranked as a marginally above-average wing-back.

Attributes that Nancy will have been especially impressed by include his ball retention and offensive positioning, both of which are important in the style the Frenchman is trying to impose on the side.

Equally, though, he shines defensively in terms of open-play disruption and counter control. What do these technical phrases mean in simple terms?

Open-play disruption refers to his ability to close down players, block passing lanes and to force backwards or sideways passes. It doesn’t mean always winning the ball, but it does slow opponents down and make their football messy.

As for counter control, this is about stopping quick breaks – something that has been something that Celtic have struggled with in the Nancy era, especially down their right side. It is a measurement of how effectively a player can slow down an opponent’s attack.

Clearly, Araujo excelling in these two areas will be a massive boost for the Celtic defence.