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According to Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo), signing Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo could be a real possibility for Chelsea next summer following rumours that negotiations regarding a new contract with the Spanish club have stalled. The Uruguayan defender is reportedly taking English lessons, sparking speculation that a move to the Premier League might be in the offing.
The Blues are not the only club in the mix, with Liverpool and Manchester United also said to be keen on the defender. Araujo’s contract expires in 2023, and if he fails to agree on a new deal with Barcelona, could be available on a cut-price deal come the summer.
The 23-year-old Uruguayan international has grown leaps and bounds since joining Barcelona from Boston River in 2018. Initially starting out with the B team, Araujo quickly impressed one and all at Camp Nou and soon found himself in the first-team setup. This season, under Ronald Koeman and later Xavi, the centre-back has established himself as an undisputed starter alongside Gerard Pique at the Nou Camp.
Diego Alonso has already handed seven caps to Araujo for the Uruguayan national team and having played 30 games for the Spanish giants this season already, it is evident that the defender possesses a lot of talent. He is tall, powerful and not too shabby on the ball. Although he predominantly plays as a centre-back, he has also played at right-back at Barcelona occasionally this season.
Xavi and Barcelona rate the Uruguayan very highly and want to tie him down to a new deal as soon as possible. But the Catalan club and Araujo are yet to agree on a deal that suits both parties. Unless they act fast, the player could be privy to better offers from other interested clubs.
Chelsea finds themselves in a precarious position going into the summer, with the contract of three of their first-choice centre-backs expiring and none of them have agreed on a new deal yet. Andreas Christensen is already said to be on his way to Barcelona and Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger could also depart for free.
In such a situation, the Blues will have Thiago Silva, Malang Sarr and Trevor Chalobah as the only three recognized centre-backs left at the club and come the summer, they will be in the market, shopping for more than one centre-back.
If Chelsea indeed dip into the market, truth be told, there could not be many better options than Araujo. The Uruguayan is still just 23, has all the attributes required to succeed in the Premier League and could be available for a decent fee.
The only thing that could put off potential suitors is his injury record considering the fact that the Premier League is a much more physically demanding league than La Liga. However, if teams are able to look past this minor blip, they could be adding a world-class player to their ranks.
It remains to be seen if Araujo agrees on a new deal with the Blaugrana but if he fails to do so, then many clubs around the world will be in the race for the defender. However, taking into account their shortage of options, the Blues may need him more than anyone else.
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