Chelsea move swiftly in response to a 'strong bid' from Manchester United for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
According to Sport via Sports Witness (h/t Football.London), Chelsea have already approached Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo. It is believed that the Blues are willing to offer the 22-year-old double the wages that he is currently receiving at Barcelona.
Araujo made his way to Barca’s first team under former manager Ronald Koeman. Since then he has cemented his place in the squad and has also found favour with new boss Xavi Hernandez. The 22-year-old has already played 64 matches for the Spanish giants across all competition at such a young age. He has formed a solid defensive partnership alongside veteran centre-back Gerard Pique at the heart of the Blaugrana defence.
Araujo’s current contract with Barcelona runs till June 2023 but negotiations regarding a new deal aren’t going too well. The Uruguayan centre-back could be a great long-term asset for Chelsea should they be able to get any deal across the line.
The Blues are on the cusp of facing a defensive catastrophe of their own right now. Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Andreas Christensen will be out of contract at the end of the season. Whilst the talks are still going on there is a certain sense of uneasiness as to whether they will commit their long-term future to the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Rudiger and Christensen have become instrumental parts of the defensive setup under Tuchel. Azpilicueta has aptly filled in whenever needed this season. Araujo’s transfer makes even more sense if any of these players leave the club. The 22-year-old defender’s dominating presence in the air could help the West Londoners steer their defence.
The club has also been linked with the likes of Jules Kounde recently which hints that the Blues are dipping into the market to search for a young and exciting defender. The French defender was close to joining the London-based club last summer but his huge release clause of €80 million proved to be a huge deterrent.
In comparison, Araujo could be a great replacement. With his contract running out soon, the Blues may be able to land him for a decent price or even get him for a free transfer if they are patient enough. That being said, his performances have earned him a lot of praise which means that other top clubs would also be waiting to pounce at any window of opportunity to sign the talented youngster.
We will have to wait and see if the Blues can lure Ronald Araujo to Stamford Bridge but the pursuit certainly won’t be easy. The West London club was very quiet in the January transfer window and could thus be looking to make a splash and bring some new stalwarts on board in the summer.
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