Manchester United are keen on signing the Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo at the end of the season.
According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish outfit are hoping to keep him for the long term by offering him a new contract, but the player has not reached an agreement with the club over an extension yet.
The report states that Manchester United are keen on securing the services of the 25-year-old central defender and it remains to be seen whether they can convince him to move to Old Trafford.
If Araujo does not sign an extension with the Spanish club, they will be under pressure to sell him in the summer. The defender has a €1 billion release clause in his contract, but no club will be able to pay that kind of money for the player and Barcelona will have to be more reasonable with their demands.
The Spanish are going through financial crisis and they could be under pressure to sell the defender if a lucrative proposal is presented. Manchester United certainly have the financial muscle to offer a substantial amount of money for the Uruguayan international.
Ronald Araujo would improve Man United
Araujo has established himself as a key player for Barcelona and he will certainly help Manchester United improve defensively. The Red Devils have looked quite vulnerable defensively and they have conceded 55 goals in the Premier League so far. They will have to be more organised defensively if they want to win trophies and compete in the UEFA Champions League.
The South American defender will certainly help them tighten up at the back. He is versatile enough to operate as a full back as well. He could be the ideal partner for Lisandro Martinez next season. It will be interesting to see if Manchester United come forward with an official proposal for the player and get the deal done in the coming weeks.
