Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea are reportedly plotting a €50 million raid on Barcelona for their defensive mainstay, Ronald Araujo.
According to Ekrem Konur, Chelsea are interested in acquiring the services of Ronald Araujo, and they could end up making an offer worth €50 million for the Barcelona mainstay in the coming weeks following a serious knee injury to Levi Colwill.
Araujo joined the Catalan giants back in 2018. He started with their B team and got promoted to the first team towards the end of 2020 and has not looked back since. While the experienced defender was one of their first names on their team sheet for years, a hamstring injury last season pushed him down the pecking order under Hansi Flick.
The Uruguayan international could only manage 25 first-team appearances last season, with just over 1,500 minutes. While Araujo’s contract runs until the summer of 2031, his future has been a big talking point amidst Barcelona’s financial troubles.
Since the start of the summer, there have been talks that the Catalan giants would let go of one of their experienced defenders, either Araujo or Andreas Christensen. However, in a surprise move, they have ended up parting ways with Inigo Martinez, who was one of their standout performers last season.
The veteran Spanish defender’s move to Al-Nassr does help them financially, but they still might need to execute another big sale to balance their books and register their new signings. As a result, Araujo or Christensen could still be on the move.
Chelsea are ready to table an offer for Araujo
Following Martinez’s surprise departure, Barcelona would need a replacement before they could cash in on either of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen. Chelsea, who are well aware of Barcelona’s situation, are looking to make the most out of it.
The Blues have been hit by a massive injury blow, as Levi Colwill has picked up an ACL injury and is set to miss the majority of the season, having undergone surgery. With him unavailable, Chelsea are in the market for a top-quality replacement, and Araujo is quite high on their wishlist.
The London club are gearing up to make a concrete offer for him before the end of the window. They are willing to test Barcelona’s resolve with a €50 million offer. Given their financial situation, there is a belief that the Blues could accept such an offer. Chelsea are expected to make a move in the near future, and it will be interesting to see how things pan out.