November 28th 2024.
It seems that the battle for Benfica star Tomás Araújo's signature is heating up, with Manchester United and Chelsea both vying for the young talent. Ruben Amorim, United's new manager, has urged his team to compete with Chelsea in the transfer race for Araújo, according to reports.
The 22-year-old centre-back has made a name for himself in the Benfica XI and has caught the eye of Chelsea, who are said to be "in love" with his impressive skills. In fact, the Blues are among several English clubs that have already initiated talks with Benfica, but now United is throwing their hat in the ring as well.
Amorim, who has personally placed Araújo on his wishlist, is set to discuss the possibility of a move with the higher-ups at Old Trafford on Friday. The Sun has reported that United may even make a bid of £50m in the upcoming January transfer window, despite the player's contract containing a release clause of €100m.
Having recently earned his first cap for Portugal, Araújo has proven himself to be a rising star in the world of football. He came up through Benfica's academy and has already played in 37 first-team games for the Portuguese side.
Interestingly, Chelsea had also attempted to sign Araújo last summer, but their efforts were in vain as they left it too late before the transfer window closed. Crystal Palace and Paris Saint-Germain had also shown interest in the player at that time.
Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, who played alongside Araújo at Benfica, has high praise for the young talent. In an interview with CNN Portugal, he said, "If he continues to perform at this level, he has all the potential to become one of the best defenders in the world within a year or two."
Araújo played a pivotal role in helping Benfica secure the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira title in 2023. As United gears up for the Amorim era, they are also looking to strengthen their team in other areas, particularly in the striker and left-back positions. They have reportedly identified four strikers and three left-backs as potential targets for the January transfer window.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
