Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United are ‘pushing hard’ for Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo amid contract stand-off
According to Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo (h/t The Sun), Manchester United are pushing hard to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, who is yet to come to an agreement with his employers over a new contract.
The Uruguayan, who rose to prominence over the past couple of seasons in Spain, is widely regarded to be one of the best centre-backs that Barcelona have in their team, sharing the stage with veteran Gerard Pique and newbie Eric Garcia.
His performances at the Nou Camp have caught the eye of Manchester United, who are in the market this summer to look for a talented defender that can shore things up and stop the leak at the back, especially after how poor their rearguard has been this term.
Club captain Harry Maguire has faced the most flak amongst United players this campaign, with the Englishman unable to lead his side to trophies or keep clean sheets against stronger opposition. His partners Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane have not covered themselves in glory either.
Running out his contract
Araujo’s current deal with Barcelona expires next summer, and the player is yet to sign a contract extension with the Spanish club. The 23-year-old is said to want to continue in La Liga, but amidst the contract standoff, his agent might be open to doing business
With the Red Devils searching for defensive reinforcements at the end of the season, they are looking to take advantage of the current contract situation at Barca, and pay them a big fee as well as offer the Uruguayan a high salary to convince him to swap Spain for England.
Despite being only 23, the Barca star has shown that he has the maturity and tactical awareness to lead the defence alongside club legends like Pique. He has been a regular at the back ever since his debut for the Catalan club, which is a testament to his talent.
If he does move to United in the summer, he could prove to be the rock at the back we have craved for this season. Maguire and Lindelof have not proven to be world-class in Manchester, and although Varane was signed as a marquee defender last year to solidify the rearguard, he has not yet made the impact we expected from him.
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The player is said to want to stay in Barcelona given his current status in the team, but with a contract renewal still not agreed upon by either party, they could risk losing him for free. If that is the case, then the La Liga giants would know that this summer may be the last real chance of getting a good sum for him.
A defender has become a priority for the Manchester club ahead of the new season, and our current crop of centre-backs do not seem to be stepping up to the mark expected of them. Araujo’s potential presence at the back may yet change all that, and ensure we look more stable next season.
