Shock Premier League side emerges as candidate to sign Barcelona star Ronald Araujo | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo remains the prime candidate to leave the club this summer if there is a big player to be sold, and it has already emerged that there were contacts with Bayern Munich in January. Manchester United took an interest in him before he renewed his last deal in 2022, and the Red Devils are also monitoring his situation again.

However Aston Villa have emerged as a shock destination for the Uruguayan. As per Sport, Unai Emery and Monchi told the Blaugrana during a recent visit to Montjuic, where they took in Barcelona’s 3-2 win over Valencia, that if Villa qualified for the Champions League, then they would pursue Araujo this summer.

Emery’s side secured a top four spot last week, and they will indeed go after the 24-year-old central defender. They have informed Diego Carlos’ agent that they plan to sell him this summer, and the Brazilian’s agent Giuliano Bertolucci is already searching for an exit.

Barcelona are reportedly open to offers for Araujo this summer, and wuld be looking for around €80-100m for his services, but Villa made it clear that they would not be paying even the lower end of that at €80m, although they will obviously have to present an offer that will attract both Araujo and Barcelona.

Araujo has been a key player for Barcelona over the past four years, but with his contract up in 2026, and no sign of movement in negotiations over a new one, a sale seems the most likely course of action this summer. The fact Barcelona have several top central defenders only helps to make Araujo’s potential exit a little less painful, as they look to ease their financial woes.