Manchester United offer €50 million to sign Barcelona player and Laporta agrees
Manchester United can save their season by winning the UEFA Europa League. They face Tottenham Hotspur in the final at San Mames in Bilbao on May 21, and the winner of the contest will get a direct entry into the Champions League next season.
If the Red Devils win the Europa League trophy, the money they will receive as a reward for qualifying for the Champions League will be put toward rebuilding Ruben Amorim’s squad, which has faltered in the Premier League and is sitting 15th in the table after 35 games. The defensive unit has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency, leading to the team conceding over 50 goals in the league.
Several changes are set to be made to the roster, including the exits of experienced players on a free transfer at the end of the season. Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof will become free agents in June, and INEOS will want to bring in at least one replacement.
According to a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes, Barcelona have lowered their asking price for Ronald Araujo in the wake of his poor performance against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final second leg. They are open to offers starting at €50 million amid interest from Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich.
It appears Barcelona are facing pressure to sell some of its first-team stars in order to make way for new signings. To that end, the future of Ronald Araujo has been in sharp focus, especially on the back of recent criticism over his performances in the Champions League.
The Uruguayan international, who has been with the Spanish giants since 2018, has fallen behind Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia in the pecking order. Despite signing a contract extension earlier this year until 2031, the Catalan side are ready to sell him this summer as part of a ‘strategic opportunity to ease financial tensions’.
The aforementioned report adds that Man United’s interest in Araujo has been strong for a while now, and they are ready to make a strong offer for the central defender, who also remains on the radars of Bayern and Juventus.
Araujo is an experienced defender, having racked up over 170 appearances for Barcelona and won five trophies thus far. Predominantly a centre-back, the South American can also play as a right-back. He will fit in perfectly in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
The 26-year-old is a good passer of the ball, can carry it forward, tenacious in the challenge and strong in the air. The ex-Boston River has good leap and can play in a high line. He would be a straight upgrade on Lindelof while bolstering the leaky United defence. All in all, we must not hesitate to go all out for Araujo’s signing.
