Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly embroiled in a transfer battle to sign Ronald Araujo, with the Reds in pole position to sign the Barcelona defender.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Ronald Araujo is a highly sought-after player in the transfer market, with Barcelona scrambling to secure his long-term future. Liverpool and Chelsea are keen on securing the services of the Uruguayan defender, with the Reds leading the race to sign him.
Ronald Araujo joined Barcelona from Boston River in August 2018 and has come a long way since then. The 22-year-old took some time to get going as he was eased into the first team at Camp Nou. However, he has established himself as the most dependable Barcelona defender in the past year.
To date, the youngster has made 58 appearances for Barcelona, chipping in with four goals and one assist along the way. Araujo’s progress has helped him establish a foothold in the Uruguayan national side. At the same time, he has emerged on the radars of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool and Chelsea.
The interest from Liverpool does not make much sense, especially with Ibrahima Konate seen as a long-term solution at the heart of the defence. The Reds do not need a central defender, with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip regaining prominence following their returns from their respective long-term injuries.
On the other hand, Chelsea’s need to sign a centre-back is rather urgent. The Blues are also ready to offer a premium fee to sign the young defender. The west Londoners will have to enter the market to bolster their backline because Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge.
Both the centre-backs are in the final year of their respective contracts, with Rudiger poised to join Real Madrid and Christensen inching closer to joining Barcelona. To that end, Araujo is a viable target for Chelsea, with the Barcelona defender open to joining them. However, Chelsea and other suitors like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have fallen behind Liverpool in the race to sign him from the Catalans.
The Merseyside giants are prepared to offer him a lucrative contract and put an appealing project on the table. However, the Catalan giants are scrambling to secure Araujo’s long-term future. It remains to be seen if his stint at Barcelona continues or whether he joins Liverpool instead, as suggested by the report.
