Man United and Chelsea remain keen on ‘World-class’ Barcelona centre-back transfer amid contract talks -Report

Man United and Chelsea remain keen on ‘World-class’ Barcelona centre-back transfer amid contract talks -Report

Manchester United and Chelsea are still interested in a transfer deal for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo and will be monitoring his situation amid talks over a new contract at the Nou Camp.

The Uruguayan international has been a standout performer for Barca; despite missing most of the season due to injury, it appears he is still a vital component of their plans.

Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, has made it known that she is working to keep Araujo and other important players, and that negotiations for new contracts are either ongoing or soon to begin.

But, people with knowledge of the matter have told CaughtOffside that Man Utd and Chelsea are still interested in Araujo and may be ready to move for the 25-year-old if contract negotiations come to a standstill in the coming months.

Araujo’s current contract expires in 2026, with the South American having last signed a new deal with the Catalan giants back in 2022, so that could mean there’s an opportunity to swoop for him next summer for a reduced fee as he’ll be just a year away from being a free agent.

United could do well to bring in Araujo if possible, as their current defenders haven’t been entirely convincing in recent times, with Lisandro Martinez inconsistent, while Matthijs de Ligt still seems to be settling in slowly after his summer move from Bayern Munich.