Barcelona demand 'Harry Maguire fee' from Man Utd

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 28 Jan 2024 19:45 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United have been informed by Barcelona that it will cost over €80 million in order to sign Ronald Araujo.

United have made Araujo one of their main targets for the centre back position in the summer transfer market.

But, it will cost a small fortune to sign the Uruguayan as, according to Sky Germany, Barca have put a price tag of over €80m on his head.

That would be just shy of the €87m that United paid to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester in 2019 in a then-world record fee.

United will sign at least one centre back this summer as a number of stoppers are set to leave. Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans see their contracts expire, while the futures of Victor Lindelof and Maguire are at risk.

Araujo is high on United’s centre back shortlist.

Sky adds that Bayern Munich are also interested in signing Araujo, with the Bavarians struggling defensively throughout the 2023-24 campaign.

Araujo buyout clause

Araujo has a contract at Barcelona until 2026, with a buyout clause inserted into his deal worth a staggering €1 billion.

The 24-year-old Uruguay international has established himself as a regular at Camp Nou, featuring on 136 occasions for the first team since arriving from Boston River in 2020.

However, he has also been hit by a number of injuries during his time at Barca.

As a result, Barcelona could consider a sale if a huge offer were to arrive for the defender.

Araujo has won one La Liga, one Copa del Rey and one Supercopa de Espana during his time at Barcelona.

He has been capped 16 times by the Uruguay national team and he travelled to the 2022 World Cup but did not play due to injury.