Manchester City are eyeing a move for Ronald Araujo.
As per a report from Super Deporte, City are keeping a close watch on Araujo’s contractual situation at Barcelona. Araujo, 23, will be out of a contract in the summer of 2023 and Barca have been trying to tie him down to a new long-term contract.
Araujo’s recent performances for club and country have caught several eyes in England. Liverpool have also been heavily linked with a move for him. Manchester United are also keeping a close watch on him. And now, reigning Premier League champions are in the fray as well.
Araujo already has attractive offers from England and these are numbers that Barca cannot match. The player wants to stay at Camp Nou but wants to be financially valued. Barca do not want to pay Araujo more than Pedri or Ansu Fati.
The Cityzens have been attentive to the situation with Pep Guardiola looking to form a Ruben Dias-Ronald Araujo partnership at the center of the backline.
Will Araujo be surplus at Manchester City?
The Sky Blues currently have Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, and Nathan Ake as options for center-backs. Ronald Araujo will only add to it. In other words, City have the best squad depth among all the top teams in Europe, and a player of Araujo’s quality will be surplus. Ruben Dias is undroppable and the way Laporte is playing, it does not look like he will give his place in the XI soon.
Xavi resembles Pep Guardiola in many ways and it is no surprise that Araujo would fit right in, at City. But, if either or both John Stones and Nathan Ake leave this summer in search of minutes, Araujo will become a real option.
A Dias-Araujo partnership at the heart of the backline will be a dominant force. Moreover, Araujo’s versatility means that he can also slot in as a right-back. His development rate has been rapid and there is still a long way to go for him. But, he is only 23 and a valuable option for the future.
The 23-year-old is accustomed to playing out from the back and playing in close spaces. It will not be much of a challenge for him to fit into Pep’s system. City, however, should not sign the Uruguayan defender if their defensive options remain intact for next season as well. Having played a crucial role last season, John Stones is now second-choice to Aymeric Laporte, though Ruben Dias’ injury could change things up.
The point is that there is some incredible depth at Manchester City and Ronald is enjoying a central role at Barca.
Do you think Araujo will sign up with Manchester City if he does not decide to renew with Barcelona?
