Manchester United have indicated interest in signing Barcelona centre-back Ronaldo Araujo, as per Tuttojuve.
United have faltered for most of the season, particularly in defence. The club spent heavily in the summer bolstering the position, but they’ve still struggled for most of the season, leaving themselves exposed and conceding several chances to opponents. Ruben Amorim is now looking to bolster his backline ahead of next season, with Araujo being the latest to be linked to the club.
According to Tuttojuve, Manchester United are ‘evaluating’ the possibility of transferring Araujo to Old Trafford this summer.
United will need to win the Europa League to secure Champions League qualification to convince the Uruguay international to join them ahead of Bayern Munich, who are preparing a €65m (£55m) offer to sign him in the summer, according to the report.
Araujo still has six years left on his contract after putting pen to paper to extend his stay with the Catalan giants in January. Hence, it’ll take a sizeable fee above his €50m (£42m) transfermarkt valuation to convince Barcelona to part ways with their vice-captain in the summer.
Reinforcement
United’s backline saw the most significant investment last summer but have faced scrutiny throughout this season.
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They appear too open sometimes and regularly concede avoidable goals, showing a lack of cohesion and a commanding presence at the back.
Matthijs de Ligt has been a vocal presence in defence, while Harry Maguire has looked impressive despite playing less time in the Premier League, but Man Utd still need to add more quality.
Hence, swooping for Araujo, who has captained a European giant like Barcelona on several occasions – should be a no-brainer.
The 26-year-old possesses tremendous leadership qualities to lead the backline while showcasing his defensive solidity to stop opposition attacks.
His versatility is another significant characteristic, as the South American often alternates between centre-back and right-back for Barcelona.
The Uruguayan can comfortably slot into any of the positions in Amorim’s preferred three-man defensive shape-up while also occasionally drifting into midfield, as evidenced in his displays under Hansi Flick.
With an overhaul expected at Old Trafford this summer, reinforcing the backline with a quality and experienced player like Araujo would no doubt improve their defence as they look to bounce back from what has been an underwhelming season for the Red Devils.
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