A few days ago, according to Spain's "Mr. Football", Manchester United is trying to poach Barcelona's main centre-back Ronald Araujo, while the Barca boss hopes that the club can complete the contract extension with him and meet his annual salary request of 6 million euros to keep the 23-year-old Uruguay international.
Born in March 1999, Araujo came from the Retistas Academy in Uruguay, and at the age of 18 he moved to Boston River Plate in Uruguay for about 400,000 euros, and a year later he was put in team B by Barca for 4.7 million euros. Last season, Araujo was promoted to barca's first team, filling the gap in the defense in time when the original main centre-backs Lenglet and Pique were injured, Andraújo improved quickly under Koeman, and after Xavi took over as Barca manager, he became the undisputed defensive core of Barca.
Araujo's contract was signed when he first arrived in the first team in 2020 and expires in 2023 with an annual salary of 800,000 euros, which is the usual operation when the average youngster is promoted to the first team. However, because Araujo's rise is too fast, such an annual salary obviously does not match his performance. Seeing that he was about to enter the contract year this summer, Barca also hoped to reach a contract extension with him, but Barca's contract of 3 million euros per year was rejected, and Araujo asked for a double, he asked for a contract of 6 million euros, and the two sides were deadlocked. At this time, Manchester United saw the opportunity and hoped to take advantage of this opportunity to sign him.
Manchester United are also looking for new centre-backs, Maguire's performance is getting worse and worse, Varane's state since joining is also a big gap compared with the Real Madrid period, the original high hopes of the Red Devils new centre-back combination has now repeatedly become the team's "powder keg", so next season they hope to introduce a new center-back, and at this point in time, The poaching of Araujo has become Ronnick's first choice, so Manchester United contacted Araujo's agent. And promised to give Araujo the required annual salary of 6 million euros (converted to a weekly salary of about 190,000 pounds or more).
Manchester United's shot is indeed extremely unfavorable news for Barca, Xavi also wants to keep the Uruguayan iron guard, he also expressed his attitude to the club, hoping that the team will meet Araujo's salary requirements. Araujo's request seems a bit excessive, but considering that both Umtiti and Pique are paid an annual salary of 8 million euros, and Barca has also opened a contract with an annual salary of 800 euros to attract Chelsea's Christensen free transfer, in contrast, as the main centre-back today, Araujo is not too much to ask for an annual salary increase of 7.5 times.