Aston Villa will reportedly compete with Barcelona in the race to sign 24-year-old South American winger Maximiliano Araujo from Deportivo Toluca.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Maximiliano Araujo is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Villans are scouring the market for a wide attacker in the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old winger is also a target for Barcelona, with his contract with Deportivo Toluca having a release clause worth €20 million.
The Maximiliano Araujo story
Maximiliano Araujo has made considerable progress since moving to Mexico. The Uruguayan international spent his formative years in his homeland before graduating from the youth division at Montevideo Wanderers. While he has not produced an eye-catching output since moving to Mexico, his stock has significantly risen.
The 24-year-old joined Deportivo Toluca from Puebla FC in January 2023 and has chipped in with nine goals and nine assists in 59 appearances across all competitions for the Mexican outfit. Meanwhile, Araujo has been excellent for Uruguay thus far at the 2024 Copa America, with his stock soaring due to his performances.
Meanwhile, Maximiliano Araujo’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. The latest reports have linked the South American winger with Barcelona, with Aston Villa also joining the race to sign him from Deportivo Toluca.
Will Araujo move to Europe this summer?
Barcelona’s interest in Maximiliano Araujo is understandable. The Catalan giants have been scouring the market for a wide attacker heading into the summer transfer window as they look to offload Ferran Torres or Raphinha to balance their books. Nico Williams is thus the priority target for Barcelona, although they are keeping their options open if they cannot afford the Spanish international.
However, Barcelona will face stiff competition from Aston Villa. Villa Park might be an attractive destination, considering the Villans can offer UEFA Champions League football next season. Interestingly, Nico Williams is also a target for Aston Villa, with Araujo emerging as an alternative.
The 24-year-old South American winger will not cost a bomb, with his contract with Deportivo Toluca having a release clause worth €20 million. It will be interesting to see if Aston Villa can beat Barcelona to Araujo’s signature in the summer transfer window.
