Transfer expert reveals Bayern interest in top defender amid ‘unlikely’ Arsenal, Man Utd deals
With Manchester United’s Raphael Varane and Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu unavailable, Bayern Munich have turned their attention to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, according to reports.
Araujo was strongly linked with the Red Devils and Chelsea before signing a new four-year contract at the Camp Nou in 2022.
Signed from Uruguayan outfit Boston River in 2018 for €4.7million, the 24-year-old has blossomed into one of the best centre-backs in world football and can also comfortably play in right-back.
He has had his injury troubles over the years but he is one of many top youngsters to come out of Uruguay in recent years.
It is no surprise to see interest coming from Bayern, though it has to be said the Bundesliga giants will likely find it very tough to prise Araujo away from Catalonia.
German transfer expert Florian Plettenberg says Thomas Tuchel’s side are ‘very interested’ in the signing and Aruajo is ‘keen on Bayern’s interest’ after they ‘enquired about him’.
Bayern have been ‘monitoring him for two years’, though it is said the signing is ‘very unlikely’ and Barcelona ‘want to extend his contract’.
It is noted that his move falls into the same category as Bayern’s interest in Tomiyasu and Varane.
Bayern have been unlucky in the transfer market over the last year or so with a lot of their top targets going elsewhere.
They were reportedly interested in signing Kai Havertz and David Raya in the summer, with both players ending up at Arsenal.
And their recent interest in Tomiyasu appears to have kicked the Gunners’ backside into gear as they have reportedly started contract discussions with the Japanese defender.
Plettenberg previously claimed that the German champions pushed ‘extremely’ hard to land Tomiyasu in the summer transfer window.
Red Devils centre-back Varane has been deemed too expensive, which is why this signing is ‘unlikely’.
The Frenchman’s future at Old Trafford is in doubt amidst reports he has fallen out with Erik ten Hag.
Speaking about those reports during a press conference on Friday, Ten Hag insisted Varane is a “very important player”.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. “It’s rumours. Very important player, but there’s internal competition and there should be at a top club, as we are.
“And when you decide on two players who do brilliant – Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire – you also have to make a choice for that position.”
The signing of Varane appears to be the most likely out of the three, though he will probably have to agree to a wage cut.
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