Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United face transfer battle for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo this summer from Chelsea and Arsenal
As per the Express, Manchester United will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal this summer in the transfer battle for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, who has not yet agreed on a new contract with the Catalan side.
The centre-back, who joined Barcelona in 2018 from Uruguayan side Boston River, has been the first choice defender for the La Liga club over the past couple of seasons, partnering veteran Gerard Pique at the heart of defence.
His performances have even seen him bench new signing Eric Garcia, who so far has not been able to get ahead of Araujo in the starting lineup. At 23, the Uruguayan has already proven himself to be good enough to play for a big team like Barca.
Under Xavi Hernandez this term, the defender seems to have taken a leap forward in his displays on the pitch. He has hardly put a wrong foot since the Barca legend took over as manager from Ronald Koeman, and has been an important mainstay in the XI.
London clubs to rival United
His performances in Spain have caught the eye of United, who are struggling at the back this campaign. Despite roping in Raphael Varane from Real Madrid last summer, their defensive woes have continued. Their interest in Araujo can be understood, given how impressive the player has been.
However, any attempts to sign the Barca star by the Manchester side will see them battle it out with London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, who are also keen on the defender in the summer in the event the Uruguayan does not agree to a new deal at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona chiefs are said to be keen to award the defender with a new bumper contract that reflects his value, but so far, negotiations have struggled to bear fruit. Talks are continuing between the two parties, but there seems to have been no breakthroughs as of yet.
Ever since being promoted to the first team by Koeman, Araujo has not looked back. He seems to be getting better with each game, and under Xavi’s revolution at the club to take them back to the top, the 23-year-old is a crucial asset.
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With United unable to get the best out of club captain Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, or even Varane, perhaps a replacement for these stars is needed, and there are arguably not many defenders in better form than Araujo at the minute.
There clearly is heavy Premier League interest for the player in the summer, but with Chelsea’s future uncertain as they waiting to discover whether they will be able to sign players this summer and United a more attractive prospect than the Gunners, perhaps we will see the Uruguayan at Old Trafford next season if his current contract situation in Spain does not improve.
