Barcelona ready to reject offers upto €80 million for star player from Bayern Munich amid Manchester United interest - Reports
Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has issued an update on Bayern Munich's pursuit of Barcelona star Ronald Araujo. He claimed that La Blaugrana have no intention of selling the player in the January window. This comes after a report from Spanish outlet Sport claiming that Manchester United were also interested in the player.
Plettenberg reports that there is no release clause in the Uruguayan star's contract in the range of €80-100 million. Currently, the only option is the €1 billion clause in his deal as communicated by the Catalan giants when he signed a four-year extension in April 2022.
The report further claims that Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel and sporting director Christoph Freund are keen on signing Araujo. While the German giants are willing to offer up to €70 million, Barcelona would not accept even €80 million for the player.
Manchester United's interest in the player is over the reported imminent departure of Raphael Varane. The Frenchman has missed multiple games this season with injury, falling below Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans in the pecking order. Araujo's arrival could be the start of a long-term partnership between him and Lisandro Martinez in central defense.
Araujo has developed into one of La Blaugrana's most important players since joining in 2018 from Uruguayan side Boston River. He initially played for the reserve side, making his debut in October 2019 in a 4-0 win over Sevilla before becoming a member of the main squad from the 2020-21 season. He has played 17 games this season, scoring once and helping keep five clean sheets.
Real Madrid to rival Barcelona in the pursuit of Bayern Munich star - Reports
Real Madrid and Barcelona have displayed an interest in signing Bayern Munich attacker Leroy Sane. According to German outlet BILD, the player's contract negotiation talks with the German side have not made progress, leading the Spanish giants to keep an eye on his situation.
The 27-year-old's contract expires in the summer of 2025. While the Bavarian side have opened talks to extend his deal, Sane is keen on waiting it out and earning a bigger paycheck after the 2024 Euros. He has been a key player for Thomas Tuchel this season, scoring nine goals and bagging nine assists in 24 appearances.
Barcelona currently have the likes of Ferran Torres, Joao Felix and Raphinha among their attacking options. With Felix's loan set to expire in the summer, signing Sane could prove to be a huge addition to the squad.