Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has urged Barcelona center-back Ronald Araujo to snub United, saying a move to Old Trafford could be a blunder for his career.
Manchester United Linked With Barcelona Ace Araujo
Between goalkeeping errors and concentration lapses, the Red Devils have been leaking goals left, right, and center this season. In the Premier League, they have conceded 21 times in 16 games, while in the Champions League, they have let in 14 in only five matches. No English team in history have conceded as many in five Champions League group-stage fixtures.
Additionally, Raphael Varane has fallen out of favor under Erik ten Hag and an exit from Old Trafford looks imminent. Losing a player of Varane’s quality could be a massive blow for a team already struggling to secure clean sheets, which is why they have been credited with an interest in Barcelona’s 24-year-old center-back Araujo.
As per Metro, Araujo feels unsettled at Barcelona, as he is frequently asked to fill in at right-back. Furthermore, the Blaugrana need to raise funds to comply with Financial Fair Play rules and sign key players. So, a switch for the right price could be a win-win-win for all involved parties.
Ferdinand Asks Araujo Not To Risk His Career By Moving To Manchester
While the move makes sense on paper, Ferdinand does not think a switch to United is in Araujo’s best interests. Citing Varane and Jonny Evans’ situations as examples, the Englishman explained why the transfer could jeopardize the Uruguayan’s career.
Speaking on the Vibe with Five Podcast on YouTube, Ferdinand said (via Metro):
“If I’m a player like Ronald who I think has every attribute to be one of the best defenders in the world, why are you going United?
“I’d be looking at Varane and going if he can go to Manchester United and get benched for a left-back, or for an old veteran like Jonny Evans an ex-player who has come back for his twilight years and someone who used to be captain who was left out for 18 months but is back in form now and is playing, I can’t go there and risk my life and risk my career.”
Araujo is one of the most sought-after defenders in the world at the moment. The player is valued at an impressive €70 million ($75.48 million) by Transfermarkt and his contract with Barcelona runs until June 2026.
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