Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United have reportedly submitted their respective offers to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
According to reputed Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Arsenal and Manchester United have stepped up their efforts to prise Ronald Araujo away from Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The Gunners have tabled a €6 million-a-year contract while the Red Devils have offered a deal worth €8 million per season.
Ronald Araujo has established himself as one of the best defenders in La Liga since joining Barcelona from Boston River in August 2018. While he took around two years to become a mainstay at the back for the Blaugrana, the youngster has not looked back since proving himself to be their most reliable defender.
The 23-year-old has turned out 31 times across all competitions for Barcelona this season, chipping in with three goals along the way. But the Catalan giants are in a spot of bother over Araujo’s long-term future as he has a little over a year left in his current contract. With a renewal a long away from being agreed on by the two parties, Arsenal and Manchester United are sensing their chances.
The Gunners are the latest club to be linked with Araujo, who has been on the radars of several high profile clubs across Europe. But the interest from Arsenal is a tad-bit surprising, considering Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes have stitched together a solid central defensive partnership this term.
Recent reports have also claimed that Arsenal will soon begin talks over a new contract for William Saliba. But it looks like the north Londoners are seriously pursuing a move for the Barcelona centre-back, offering a €6 million-a-year contract. But Arsenal will need to fend off competition from Manchester United to land the Uruguayan international.
The interest from Manchester United stems from the inconsistent displays of Harry Maguire this season. The Manchester United captain has been horrendous on several occasions, with the latest instance coming in the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid earlier this week. With Eric Bailly and Phil Jones facing uncertain futures at Old Trafford, signing a centre-back has become imperative.
Araujo is thus a viable target for Manchester United, with the Red Devils tabling a deal worth €8 million per season to the Barcelona defender. For their part, the Catalan giants are keen on tying the 23-year-old to a bumper new contract. But with Arsenal and Manchester United offering lucrative contracts, it remains to be seen if Barcelona will be able to keep hold of the youngster.
