Barcelona Rejects An Offer From Manchester United For Ronald Araujo

Barcelona has allegedly turned down a deal from Manchester United of around €30 million for 22-year-old Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo, according to reports.

Manchester United’s first solid bid for Ronald Araujo has been rejected by Barcelona, according to a report in the Catalan newspaper El Nacional. Barcelona is trying to hold down the 22-year-old defender to a new contract since his current agreement expires in 18 months and he is expected to leave the club.

The progress made by Ronald Araujo since joining Barcelona from Boston River in August 2018 has been remarkable. Despite initially making poor progress in the club’s current set-up, the Uruguayan centre-back has established himself as the most reliable member of their first-team squad.

Ronald Araujo is one of the most reliable members of the first team

He has made 61 appearances for Barcelona thus far in his career, with 22 of them coming in the current campaign. Araujo’s development has not gone unnoticed, and with his contract with Barcelona about to expire in less than 18 months, numerous European powerhouses, notably Manchester United, have shown an interest in signing him.

The interest from Manchester United comes as a result of Harry Maguire’s uneven performances over the current season. The club’s desire to buy a centre-back at the earliest moment has grown more pressing since Raphael Varane has been plagued by fitness problems this season.

Araujo is therefore a realistic goal for Manchester United, with the 22-year-old defender serving as a long-term option in the heart of the Red Devils’ defensive line. To do this, the Red Devils have made the initial proposal in an attempt to lure him away from Barcelona, with a €30 million offer having been placed.

Barcelona will be looking to die down Ronald Araujo to a new deal

Barcelona, on the other hand, is more concerned with signing Araujo to a new deal than with letting one of their most precious commodities depart the club in the near future. According to recent sources, the Uruguayan defender’s unclear contract position has also attracted the interest of his arch-rivals Real Madrid, in addition to Manchester United.

It is expected that the Merengues will keep a close eye on his contract status to sign him on a free transfer during the summer transfer window of 2023. Chelsea and Liverpool are also vying for the attention of Manchester United. However, each of his suitors will have to spend much more than €30 million to draw Barcelona’s attention away from them. For the time being, the Catalan giants will continue their efforts to ensure the long-term future of the 22-year-old.