Man Utd make contact for star Barcelona could betray Xavi by selling; Bayern, Chelsea also in queue

Manchester United and Chelsea have both been in touch with the representatives of Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, a report has claimed.

Araujo is a key player for Xavi’s Barcelona side but has attracted interest from elsewhere and has sometimes been tipped as a candidate to be sold by the LaLiga giants if they need to balance the books.

Barcelona still have Araujo under contract until 2026, but might be deliberating his future as time ticks away. According to TBR Football, Xavi – who has just changed his mind about leaving the club this summer – wants the Uruguay international to stay with him.

However, there are other decision makers at Barcelona who could consider selling Araujo, which means other clubs are on alert.

The report claims Man Utd and Chelsea have both contacted the 25-year-old’s representatives to reiterate their interest. Bayern Munich are also still keen on taking the centre-back to Germany’s Bundesliga.

For now, they are all in the background. Barcelona would also be willing to speak to Araujo about extending his contract, but they will be weighing up their financial situation.

Araujo has played 34 times across all competitions for Xavi’s side this season. He has even captained them on several occasions, since he is third in command in the on-pitch leadership stakes.

READ MORE: Ruthless Ratcliffe ready to sell Man Utd quartet if they refuse to accept pay cuts

Araujo in demand

There is little doubt that Araujo would be a useful defensive reinforcement for Man Utd or Chelsea. For example, Man Utd are preparing to let go of Raphael Varane this summer and there could also be uncertainty for other members of their backline.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have invested in plenty of defenders recently, so wouldn’t seem to have the most urgent need numerically, but not all have lived up to expectations for various reasons and the Blues are subsequently still trying to find the right balance.

As for Bayern, January saw the arrival of Eric Dier from Tottenham, which was a surprise signing but one that Thomas Tuchel has been happy with. Nevertheless, doubts about the futures of Matthijs de Ligt and Kim Min-jae might have them assessing their options.

Araujo has never played in either the Premier League or Bundesliga, but has proven himself in LaLiga and at Champions League level, as well as internationally with Uruguay.

IN DEPTH – Barcelona stars who could move to Premier League: Arsenal targets, former Chelsea man…