Manchester City will reportedly compete with Bayern Munich in the race to sign 24-year-old Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Ronald Araujo is the subject of interest from Manchester City. The Premier League champions have entered the market for another centre-back. And they have set their sights on the 24-year-old Barcelona defender, a target for Bayern Munich.
The Ronald Araujo Story
Ronald Araujo has gone from strength to strength since joining Barcelona from Boston River. The Uruguayan international did not immediately establish a foothold in the Barcelona first team and had to wait for two years before rising in stature at Camp Nou. But he has not looked back, blossoming into one of the best centre-backs in the game.
The 24-year-old has turned out 131 times thus far for Barcelona, chipping in with eight goals and three assists. Meanwhile, his market value has soared to €70 million in the last half a decade. Araujo’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs, including Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
A Man in Demand
Bayern Munich’s interest in Ronald Araujo stems from Thomas Tuchel’s dissatisfaction with his current central defensive options. That has led to Matthijs de Ligt facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena. Meanwhile, Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae have blown hot and cold at Bayern Munich.
So, it is hardly surprising that the Bundesliga champions have shown interest in several centre-backs this month, with Radu Dragusin recently emerging as a viable target. But Araujo is also an option worth considering, albeit for the summer. However, Bayern Munich will face stiff competition from Manchester City for the Barcelona mainstay.
The Premier League champions have been notorious for signing world-class centre-backs every other year despite boasting an enviable collection of central defenders. Pep Guardiola has Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, and Manuel Akanji in his squad. Despite that, Ronald Araujo has now emerged as a target for Manchester City.
The treble winners might have an advantage in the race to sign the Barcelona mainstay as he is reportedly attracted to the Premier League. But despite the pressure from Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Barcelona will fight hard to retain his services beyond the summer.
