Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has reportedly rejected offers from Liverpool and Manchester United in the past year.
According to Spanish publication SPORT, Ronaldo Araujo received lucrative offers from Liverpool and Manchester United. But the 23-year-old defender instead chose to renew his contract with Barcelona.
The Uruguayan international’s contract at Barcelona was set to end in the summer of 2023. But he has signed an extension until the summer of 2026. Apparently Liverpool and Manchester United offered substantially better contracts than the Spanish club. But Araujo has chosen to stay at Camp Nou and pursue his dream of winning major trophies with Barcelona.
The 23-year-old has already established himself as a key player for the Blaugrana, and he is undoubtedly one of the best defenders in La Liga. The South American has all the attributes to develop into one of the best players in world football. And his decision to commit his long-term future to Barcelona will come as a major boost for the Catalan club.
Losing a player of his quality at the end of the season would have been a devastating blow for Barcelona. The Spanish giants are already under financial stress and cannot afford to lose players of his caliber for free.
Meanwhile, the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United could definitely use a quality defender. And it is no surprise that they were trying to sign Ronald Araujo. The 23-year-old can operate as a centre-back as well as a right-back. His versatility would have been added bonus.
Liverpool will have to bring in an upgrade on players like Joel Matip and Joe Gomez. Meanwhile, Manchester United will have to replace the likes of Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof. Recent reports have also linked the Barcelona defender with Paris Saint-Germain.
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It remains to be seen whether Liverpool and Manchester United dip into the transfer market for a quality defender at the end of the season. As for Araujo, the 23-year-old will hope to guide Barcelona to the league title this season. He is expected to develop into a leader at the club and wants to emulate Barcelona legend Carles Puyol in the coming years and lead the Spanish giants to glories.
