Despite being one of the most reliable defenders in the current FC Barcelona squad, Ronald Araujo has frequently been linked with other top European sides in the last few weeks.
Bayern Munich have been keenly interested in the defender, and Thomas Tuchel has him as the priority target to improve his team’s defensive line for the next season.
Manchester United have also now entered the race for the defender, and are trying to lure him to Old Trafford, but Araujo has already rejected such a proposal.
For now, Bayern Munich lead the race for the Uruguayan’s signature, and while Barcelona have refused to negotiate for the defender, movements in the Bavarian club can have a significant impact on Araujo’s future.
As SPORT has reported, there is one Bayern Munich player whose future can have important implications for Araujo’s future, i.e., Matthijs de Ligt.
The report mentions that the Netherlands international can ask to leave the current Bundesliga champions next summer as he has not enjoyed the prominence that he expected when he moved to the club.
Since his transfer to Munich in 2022, the defender has accumulated only 54 appearances and has gotten on the pitch only eleven times this season. Tuchel has preferred other options like Minjae Kim and Dayot Upamecano over him, and the arrival of Eric Dier and Nordie Mukiele can push him further into obscurity.
The Dutch defender would love to be reunited with Eric ten Haag at Manchester United, as he first rose to prominence under him at Ajax. Ten Haag’s own future at United is not very certain, but if he remains in charge, he will ask his club to sign De Ligt.
The defender has a contract till 2027 with Bayern, and the Bavarians will be open to selling him if a part of the €67 million they paid for him can be recovered.
If De Ligt leaves Bayern, Munich will once again push for Araujo’s signature next summer, and they can pay even up to €100 million for the Uruguayan defender in such a scenario.
