May 20th 2024.
According to recent reports, Spanish giants Barcelona are looking to sell their talented defender Ronald Araujo. However, Aston Villa is ready to take advantage of this situation and is planning to make a bold move for the player in the upcoming summer transfer window. It seems that the Villa side is confident in their chances of securing a deal with the Catalan club.
Unai Emery's team secured a fourth-place finish and a spot in the Champions League after Tottenham's defeat to Manchester City. This has given Villa a boost in their pursuit of top-quality players, as the prospect of playing in Europe's most prestigious competition and the added financial benefits are attractive to potential signings.
It is believed that Villa's main target is Araujo, and they have been working on a deal since last month. In fact, their sporting director Monchi was spotted at the Estadi Olimpic during Barcelona's match against Valencia in April. It is reported that he had discussions with the club's hierarchy regarding the Uruguayan defender.
There were previous rumors that Villa was interested in former Leeds United winger Raphinha, but it has now been revealed that their focus is on Araujo. During his visit to Barcelona, Monchi inquired about the player's situation and expressed Villa's interest in signing him, provided they secure Champions League qualification.
With their spot in the Champions League now secured, Villa is ready to speed up their pursuit of Araujo. However, there are a few hurdles they need to overcome. Firstly, they need to offload some players to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. One of their top targets to sell is Diego Carlos, as it would also open up a spot in the defense for Araujo.
Moreover, Villa needs to convince Araujo to move to Birmingham, as he has attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs. Teams like Bayern Munich and Manchester United, who may not have European football next season, have been long-time admirers of the 22-year-old defender.
Despite his impressive performances for Barcelona, Araujo is seen as a dispensable player due to the high transfer fee he would command and the abundance of options the club has at center-back. With players like Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi in the team, Barcelona is open to cashing in on Araujo. It remains to be seen if Villa can convince him to join their ranks before the transfer window closes.
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