Having endured a difficult past few weeks, the March international break might be doing Manchester United a favour.
Young star Facundo Pellistri, spending a mixed season on loan at Spanish side Deportivo Alves, will inadvertently be taking a look at one of the Red Devils' transfer targets, Ronald Araujo, while the pair are together on international duty for Uruguay. The versatile Barcelona defender has recently been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with his contract expiring in June 2023.
Araujo is a graduate of the famous La Masia academy in Catalonia and recently became staple of Xavi Hernandez 's resurgent Barca, notably scoring a bullet header in their 4-0 thrashing of rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday. Despite being a centre-back by trade, the 23-year-old's stock has risen dramatically over the past few weeks while playing at right-back.
That has led to another call-up for Uruguay, joining surprise inclusion Pellistri in Diego Alonso's squad. Having become acquainted with Araujo during their time in both La Liga and the national setup, the United prodigy has heaped praise on the Barcelona prospect, telling ESPN : "He is a beast physically and with the ball. I get along very well with him, I am calm to have him by my side."
Pellistri is not the only person connected to Old Trafford who has talked up Araujo's pedigree, as former defender Rio Ferdinand named him as one of two centre-backs he would choose to sign alongside Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos. However, the Red Devils may have trouble, as Xavi is hoping to keep the defender around at the Camp Nou by convincing him to sign a new deal.
"He is a priority," the Blaugrana boss recently told a news conference when asked about Araujo's future. "We are happy with his performance because he gives us a lot. He is a centre-back that is realistic. He is a person who is wanted from inside the dressing room and his renovation is prioritised.
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"We are going to see if he and his representative get an agreement with the club. He is an important piece, of the present and future." Meanwhile, Sport claim that the Uruguayan is happy from a personal standpoint in Barcelona and would like to stay, especially after the birth of his daughter there.
And not only do United face competition from Barca, but Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have also been tagged with interest. While Diogo Dalot has usurped him of late, one criticism of the Red Devils' current right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is his ability on the ball. If United are looking for an upgrade in that respect, it appears that Araujo would fit the bill.
"Maybe he is the football is improving more from our arrival over all with the ball – before he had no intention," Xavi recently explained, naming him as the most improved player of his tenure. "We require passes, we demand game changers. Without the ball, he is one of the best in the world, with the ball he had to improve and it’s fundamental for him and for the team."
