Major blow for Ten Hag as €100m Man Utd target reveals he is ‘100 per cent’ committed to another club
Manchester United linked Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo
In-demand centre-back Ronald Araujo has revealed he is ‘aware’ of interest from Manchester United but has reaffirmed his commitment to Barcelona.
Erik ten Hag is keen to add a new quality defender to his squad this month as his team look to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season.
Man Utd have lost nine of their 20 matches so far this term – conceding 27 goals in the process – and sit in eighth place in the Premier League table.
With Raphael Varane leaning towards leaving Old Trafford and veteran defender Jonny Evans now 36 years old, the Red Devils need a new centre-back to provide competition for the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire.
Several top defenders have been linked with moves to Man Utd in recent weeks, with the likes of Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo, Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini on their transfer shortlist.
Araujo has been named as a target by multiple outlets and is also being tracked by Bayern Munich, but it seems that he will be remaining with Barcelona for the foreseeable future.
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Araujo snubs Man Utd interest; ‘100 per cent’ committed to Barca
As per a recent interview, Araujo is ‘aware’ of interest from Man Utd but has no intention of leaving Barcelona this window.
The 24-year-old has established himself as one of the best defenders in Europe and is one of the Catalan’s most important players, with reports suggesting they have slapped a €100m (£86m) price tag on his head.
“In every transfer window there are rumours of all kinds. It’s normal,” Araujo said.
“The only thing I can say is that I’m focused on the team and also on this club. I’m comfortable here and I always try to give everything for this shirt.
“They are always rumours that appear in all markets. There was talk in the summer about Manchester United, but I am focused on Barca. And I will always give 100 per cent.”
As a result, Man Utd will have to focus on other defensive targets this month. Ten Hag seems to be favouring younger players in his search for new players, with the majority of his targets being under the age of 25.
It will be interesting to see if the Red Devils do launch a concrete bid for a new centre-back over the next couple of weeks, as reports suggest.
