Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made initial contacts to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
The Lilywhites struggled with defensive frailties last term, conceding 65 goals in 38 Premier League matches. Only relegated teams and Wolverhampton Wanderers leaked more goals than them.
Ange Postecoglou said that his primary centre-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven’s injury problems were the main reason behind their downfall last term.
However, Spurs have decided to appoint Thomas Frank as the new manager to replace the Australian, and the Danish boss is seemingly planning to sign a new centre-back to reinforce the backline.
Fichajes state that Tottenham are interested in Araujo and have made an initial move to sign him. The Uruguayan struggled to find regular game time last term, so Barcelona are prepared to cash-in on him despite recently handing him a new contract.
The 26-year-old is valued at around £30m by Transfermarkt and has a contract until 2031. Therefore, the Catalan giants are in a strong position to demand a big fee for him.
Araujo to Tottenham
The Uruguayan established himself as an undisputed starter for Barcelona a few years ago and was considered one of the best centre-backs in the world.
However, his persistent injury problems and lack of composure have been the reason for his downfall. Previously, Ilkay Gundogan criticised him during his time at Barcelona following the defender’s poor mistake against PSG in the Champions League knockout stage.
Nevertheless, he is 6ft 3in tall and an extremely quick centre-back. The South American is very strong and good in the air. Therefore, he possesses the physicality to flourish in the Premier League.
Considering Romero has been linked with a move away from the club, and Radu Dragusin has been out with his injury problems, signing a new centre-back would be the right decision for Tottenham.
Araujo could be a good acquisition for Spurs if the player manages to overcome his issues. However, Barcelona are expected to demand a large fee for him, so purchasing him by spending big might not be the wisest decision for Tottenham. Therefore, they would be better off exploring other options to strengthen the defence.
