Rio Ferdinand believes that Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo would dodge a move to Manchester United after seeing Raphael Varane’s situation.
United appeared to have struck gold in the summer of 2021.
Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo all arrived in what seemed to be a dream transfer window.
Proven winners alongside a top English talent; United seemed to have added the right players for a title push after a second-place finish.
It has all gone wrong though with Ronaldo gone after a spat with Erik ten Hag and Sancho surely going the same way come January.
Varane now finds himself frozen out of the side and surely heading for the exit in 2024, meaning all three of Ronaldo, Sancho and Varane will be gone soon enough.
Rio Ferdinand comments on Ronald Araujo rumours
Varane was an enormous signing for United at the time given his reputation as one of the world’s very best defenders with Real Madrid.
The Frenchman has struggled for top fitness at United though and Ten Hag seems ready to let him go in 2024.
The situation may be a warning to other big-name players when United come calling – at least that’s what Rio Ferdinand believes.
90min reported on Monday that United are one of the teams interested in snapping up Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
The Uruguayan isn’t entirely happy with playing at right back and could be interested in leaving to play as a first-choice centre back elsewhere.
Ferdinand has now told FIVE that if he was Araujo, he would be snubbing United due to Varane’s demise.
Ferdinand noted that Varane has slipped behind the likes of Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and even Luke Shaw in the centre back pecking order at United.
If that can happen to a big name like Varane, then Ferdinand thinks Araujo would see United as too big of a risk for his career.
“If I’m a player like Ronald Araujo, who I think has every attribute to be one of the best defenders in the world, why you going United? I’d be looking at Varane and going ‘bruv, if he can go to Manchester United and get benched for a left back, for an old vet, Jonny Evans, an old ex-player who’s come back for his twilight years and then someone who used to be captain, who was left out for 18 months who’s back in form now he’s playing’… I can’t go there and risk my life and risk my career,” he added.
Araujo would be a huge capture for United
Bayern Munich are pushing hardest for Araujo right now, so United would face a real battle for his signature anyway.
If Araujo does – for some reason – show an interest in joining United then it’s a deal that simply has to become a priority.
The 24-year-old, as Ferdinand highlighted, has the potential to become a truly world-class defender.
Athletic, physical, calm on the ball and with a great turn of pace, Araujo has already shown his elite-level talent with Barcelona.
Araujo alongside Lisandro Martinez would be a formidable partnership in United’s back line and the kind of pairing few strikers would want to challenge.
United may look to splash the cash but will have to hope that Ferdinand’s theory doesn’t ring true.
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