Chelsea have reportedly made an offer for the star.
Mauricio Pochettino’s departure this week was the first step towards Todd Boehly’s ideal Chelsea.
Plenty more changes are set to occur, with outgoings and incomings guaranteed, as he looks to tailor the squad to the next boss.
Under the Argentine, the Blues attack was fantastic, scoring 77 goals, but they were also vulnerable at the back, conceding 63, the most in the top eight.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a transfer target who could help secure the backline while also being the perfect player for Kieran McKenna if he does get the job.
Chelsea eye up their first signing of the summer
According to reports from Spain via TEAMtalk, Chelsea are interested in signing Ronald Arajuo.
Barcelona are said to be open to offers for their star centre-back, with Boehly and co reportedly lodging a bid already.
The Spanish giant is said to demand around £85m for the Uruguayan, which shouldn’t be a problem for Chelsea.
However, they won’t be alone in their quest to sign Araujo, with Manchester United also keen to employ him this summer.
Another figure that the Red Devils will compete against Chelsea for is Ipswich Town boss McKenna, who’s been listed as a candidate for the Blues job – as well as reportedly holding talks with those at Old Trafford.
Why Araujo would be perfect for McKenna
Barcelona’s number four has been absolutely sensational since breaking into the first team during the 2020/21 campaign.
That said, the dynamic defender’s season this time around hasn’t exactly been ideal, with him missing eight games through injury.
This means that the 25-year-old has only started 21 La Liga games, keeping a clean sheet in a third of those outings.
Nevertheless, when he has been on the field, Araujo has been immense, with the table below proving that he’s a complete defender.
| Araujo’s 23/24 La Liga Stats | |
|---|---|
| Stats (per game) | Araujo |
| Touches | 73.8 |
| Passes completed | 56.9 |
| Pass accuracy | 90% |
| Balls recovered | 4.1 |
| Dribbled past | 0.2 |
| Duels won | 4.2 |
| Via Sofascore | |
As you can see from the above, Araujo has the perfect blend of technical quality and defensive dominance, which makes him a top defender,
On top of that, the Uruguay international can comfortably operate as both a centre half and a right back, which makes him the perfect profile for McKenna’s 4-2-3-1 system – with former United man Axel Tuanzebe currently taking on that role at Ipswich.
In possession, the right back is instructed to drop into a back three, with the left-back pushing up as a winger. In order for this approach to work, the wide centre back’s have to be both comfortable on the ball, and most importantly, athletic, which is exactly what the Barca ace offers.
Despite standing at 6 foot 2, Araujo is known for his impressive speed and power, which is why football analyst Raj Choham called him a “monster,” referring to his ability to dominate in 1v1 scenarios, and his frequent battle with Vinicius Junior in El Classico proves that he’s more than capable of shutting down the very best.
Overall, signing Araujo is a clear statement of intent by Chelsea, and if they can get him over the line, they’d have one of the best defenders in Europe on their books.
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