Chelsea have ‘entered the scene’ to sign Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Blues are thought to be looking for a new centre-back to fill in the void left by Thiago Silva, who has decided to leave them for Fluminense.
Earlier this week, Chelsea sacked Mauricio Pochettino after they finished sixth. The Premier League side are yet to appoint a new manager but that won’t impact their pursuit of Araújo, as Mundo state they have ‘already transmitted an offer’ to him.
Chelsea see the 25-year-old as one of the main candidates to replace Silva and it won’t be easy for them to sign him in the summer window.
Bayern Munich are also keen on the Uruguay international and made an offer in January. In addition to this, the La Liga side’s stance on the defender’s potential sale must also be determined.
Barca are convinced of his qualities and are keen on retaining him. At the same time, the report says they may still sacrifice him, in order to improve their finances, if there is a convincing offer.
There’s no mention of the fee needed to convince Barcelona or the deal that Chelsea have offered to Araújo.
His deal lasts until 2026 and recent claims have stated the player will be made available in the market if he refuses to sign an extension.
Worth noting here is that the Catalan media have been linking Araújo to half of Europe and it feels more like a Barcelona desire to sell than club genuinely fighting for him.
