If you watched MLS between 2019 and 2022, you know Julian Araujo. The kid from Lompoc, California who broke into the LA Galaxy first team at 17. The two-time All-Star who racked up 100 appearances before his 22nd birthday. The right-back who could sprint past wingers, deliver crosses, and defend one-on-one with the best of them.
If you've watched European football since then, you probably lost track of him. Barcelona. Las Palmas. Bournemouth. A lot of movement, not a lot of minutes.
Now he's in Scotland.
Celtic announced on January 2 that Araujo has joined on loan from Bournemouth until the end of the season. It's a straight loan, no obligation to buy. The Mexican international is 24 years old and needs to play football.
"I am really happy to join Celtic," Araujo said upon arrival. "This is a top club and I can't wait to get going and work hard with the other players to bring our fans success. I know the demands at a club like Celtic, and I am ready for these."
He'd better be. Because Celtic's season has been a mess, and Araujo is walking into a pressure cooker.
The story behind the story
Araujo's European journey started with so much promise. Barcelona paid a reported $4 million to bring him from LA Galaxy in early 2023, after a paperwork snafu delayed the deal by weeks. He trained with Barça B under Rafael Márquez, hoping to break into the first team.
It never happened.
A loan to Las Palmas followed. Then Bournemouth paid £8 million to sign him in August 2024. Andoni Iraola's system seemed like a good fit—high pressing, aggressive fullbacks, lots of running. Araujo made 12 Premier League appearances in his first season.
This season? Zero. His only appearance came in an EFL Cup loss to Brentford in August, where he picked up two yellow cards and got sent off. Since then, nothing. Not a single minute of Premier League action.
For a guy who needs consistent game time before the 2026 World Cup, that's a disaster. Mexico's squad isn't exactly overflowing with elite right-backs, and Araujo has 16 caps to his name. But you can't make a World Cup roster sitting on the bench.
Celtic offered a way out.
Why this makes sense for American fans
Look, I get it. The Scottish Premiership isn't the Premier League. It isn't La Liga. For a lot of American viewers, it barely registers.
But here's the thing: Araujo represents something important for MLS. He's one of the clearest examples of a player developed entirely in the American system—LA Galaxy academy, Galaxy II, first team—who earned a move to a major European club. Alistair Johnston did it before him (also to Celtic, ironically). Bryan Reynolds went to Roma. Sergino Dest ended up at Barcelona.
When these players succeed in Europe, it validates the pathway. When they struggle, it raises questions about whether MLS is really producing talent ready for the top level.
Araujo's story isn't over. But it's at a crossroads.
What he's walking into
Celtic is in crisis mode. Manager Wilfried Nancy—who won MLS Cup with Columbus Crew in 2023 and MLS Coach of the Year in 2024—is already under pressure after a rocky start. The club has conceded two goals per game over their last six domestic matches. Defensive solidity is nonexistent.
Araujo was registered in time for the Old Firm derby against Rangers on January 4. Think about that: his first potential appearance for Celtic could come in the biggest match in Scottish football, with less than two days of training under his belt.
Nancy commented on the signing with the standard managerial optimism: "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."
Translation: we need help, and we need it now.
The Juárez connection
Araujo becomes only the second Mexican player to wear the Celtic shirt. The first? Efraín Juárez, who played for the club in 2010 and is now head coach of Pumas in Liga MX.
It's a small footnote, but it matters. Mexican football culture runs deep, and players like Araujo carry that weight. His decision to switch from the USMNT to El Tri in 2021—filing a one-time switch after representing the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup—remains a sore point for some American fans. But for Mexican supporters, it made him one of their own.
"My heart is with Mexico," Araujo said at the time. "I feel very happy, very at peace with myself, with the decision that I made."
Now he has six months to prove that decision—and his European move—were worth it. Regular minutes in Scotland, a strong finish, and maybe a World Cup roster spot in the summer.
The kid who starred at Dignity Health Sports Park has a lot to play for. Glasgow is watching.
