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Report: Manchester United kept an eye on in-demand La Liga defender before new contract was signed

Ronald Araujo signed a new contract with Barcelona this summer.
Ronald Araujo of Barcelona.

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo attracted interest from the Premier League in the summer including Manchester United

Manchester United had an eye on Ronald Araujo before the defender committed to new terms with Barcelona. The 23-year-old rejected advances from the Premier League this summer, according to Sport (h/t Manchester Evening News).

Araujo attracted interest from English clubs before he penned a new four-year deal with the Catalan giants. United were one of the clubs interested in the Uruguayan defender.

The 23-year-old arrived in Barcelona in 2018. And Araujo initially played for the Spanish outfit’s reserve team. The Uruguayan made his debut for the senior side in La Liga in a 4-0 win against Sevilla.

Manchester United had an eye on Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
Manchester United had an eye on Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Araujo has slowly become an essential part of the Barcelona team. Last season, the 23-year-old featured 42 times for the Blaugrana. In the new campaign under Xavi Hernandez, the Uruguayan has started every league game.

Araujo is a fast and strong centre-back good in one-on-one situations. Fans who have seen him play know that dribbling past the Uruguayan is a challenging prospect.

At the moment, United’s backline has found stability under Erik ten Hag. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have formed a formidable partnership for the Red Devils. We have not lost a single game in the 2022/23 campaign since the duo started together for the first time.

Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have been solid for Manchester United.
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have been solid for Manchester United. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

After the debacle at the start of the season, the gaffer made a few big calls. Dropping Harry Maguire to the bench was one of them. The club captain has started just one game in the Europa League since the 4-0 defeat to Bretford.

Ten Hag also has Victor Lindelof at his disposal. The Sweden international has also been on the bench mostly this season.

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Araujo has already established himself as one of the best defenders in Spain. However, it seems unlikely that the 23-year-old will be allowed to leave Barcelona any time soon.

Written by Aheed Abrar

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