Premier League club Chelsea are having a below-par season and understand the need to reinforce their overall squad ahead of the next season. One of the areas they need to strengthen is defence, which hasn’t performed up to the standards.
Hence, the Blues have set their eyes on Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. The club want to acquire his services in the summer transfer window and have even established contact with the player’s camp, as per a report published by TBR Football.
Ronald Araujo has one of the top defenders at present
Ronald Araujo joined Barcelona in the summer of 2018 from Boston River. The signing turned out fruitful as the player managed to prove his worth at the highest level. He has emerged as one of the mainstays for the Spanish giant over the past couple of years.
The 25-year-old has been a regular pick for Xavi and has featured in 34 games this season. He is averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, and 2.6 clearances per game (stats via whoscored).
Araujo is a physically strong defender and good raw pace. Hence, it becomes hard for attackers of even the highest quality to go past him. Being a tall guy, he also maintains domination in aerial duels and is decent enough to build attacks with his passes.
A potential replacement for Thiago Silva?
Though Ronald Araujo is considered the future of Barcelona, things have taken a turn in recent weeks. His unnecessary foul against PSG in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final round raised a lot of questions.
There has been an outrage towards the defender with many demanding offloading him in the summer. Though the club are reportedly working on offering him a new contract as his current deal expires in 2026, his continuity remains uncertain.
Chelsea have smelled the situation and want to take advantage of it. With Thiago Silva set to leave after the season, they need to bring in a new name to fill the boots. Though it’s not an easy task, Araujo has the potential to do the job in the long run. It will be interesting to see how this chapter unfolds in the upcoming days.
