CHERRIES are closing in on the signing of Barcelona full-back Julian Araujo, the Daily Echo understands.

Araujo, 22, is set to join Cherries on a permanent deal for a fee of around £8.5million.

The deal is also understood to not include any buy-back or sell-on clause.

Araujo featured more than 100 times for LA Galaxy, before joining Barca in February 2023. The MLS club will be due a percentage of the transfer fee.

He has not played a competitive fixture for Barcelona, having spent last season out on loan in La Liga with Las Palmas.

Born in the USA, Araujo became a Mexico international in 2021.

He will travel to England today, before undergoing a medical on Monday.

All being well, Araujo will be training with his new teammates on Tuesday, ahead of the Premier League season opener at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Discussing Araujo’s imminent arrival, Andoni Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I think it is true that they (the clubs) are speaking.

“There are talks ongoing. But he is Barca’s player. Until the signing is not done, I cannot consider him our player.

“He played in Galaxy and he played in La Liga last season. But I wasn’t there, so I haven’t see him live.

“But obviously there are a lot of people in the club who travel and see a lot of players a lot of times live and sometimes on video.

“They control the market much better than me.”