Tuchel to Man Utd ON as ‘key’ player faces cold shoulder

Robin Bairner

12 Oct 2024 12:05 BST
4 min read

Manchester United have been given encouragement to sign Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, a player whose wages they were reportedly willing to double in the summer and someone that potential new manager Thomas Tuchel is known to love.

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Araujo is in the latter stages of recovering from injury at Camp Nou, having been on the sidelines since the summer due to injury.

Once described by former Barcelona head coach Xavi as one of the “world’s best” defenders, he now faces a battle for recognition at the Camp Nou club.

Current ETV

Ronald Araujo

D (C)

Barcelona

Ronald Araujo

D (C)

Barcelona

ETV Range

€34.8M - €58M

According to Sport, the prospects of him regaining a place in the Catalans’ starting XI are slim.

“Ronald Araujo will have a very difficult time,” the Barcelona-based publication declares. “Although the Uruguayan has always been a starter when available, the duo of Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez is very much consolidated for Hansi Flick and is the one with the best statistics.”

Flick reportedly likes the balance the pair bring to the defence, with Inigo acting as the boss and Cubarsi the player to advance the ball.

Furthermore, the combination of Cubarsi and Araujo has not been one that has worked well together in the past. They have played 12 matches together, with 29 goals conceded and only 1.87 points per game won.

Door open for Araujo to Man Utd

All this spells positive news for Man Utd, particularly if they are serious about Tuchel, who has been sensationally linked with the vacant England job, taking the manager role over from Erik ten Hag.

According to Fichajes, one “key condition” of Tuchel joining the Old Trafford side is that he wants to sign Ronald Araujo.

With Barcelona’s financial position still weak, there is every chance the Camp Nou outfit could be negotiated into a sale of a bench player who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €46 million.

The 25-year-old would arrive at Man Utd as a certain starter at centre-back, according to data analytics firm SciSports, which indicates he would be the Red Devils’ second-best in his role behind only Matthijs de Ligt.

Man Utd were set to double Araujo's wages in the summer before signing De Ligt from Bayern Munich, though with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof unlikely to be at the club on a long-term basis, a deal could yet be struck for the Barcelona star.