After António Silva, Juventus has its sights set on Barcelona’s centre-back
Italian club has to make up for several defensive losses
In need of liquidity, Barcelona is preparing to listen to offers for the departure of some players. News from Italy has emerged that Juventus are interested in Ronald Araújo , after the public interest – reciprocated – in António Silva , from Benfica .
The newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport talks about the following formula: trying to sign the Uruguayan central defender on loan with a mandatory purchase option, this not being the Catalans’ preferred option.
Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is working on signing more than just a central defender and the same source says that the main target is David Hancko (Slovak defender from Feyenoord ), who was agreed to join in June but given the urgency of strengthening the defence now, he could arrive sooner, and Araújo has now also appeared. It is worth remembering that Juve lost Bremer and Cabal to injury and terminated the contract with Danilo. António Silva and Kevin Danso (Austrian from Lens) are also still in the running, all profiles approved by coach Thiago Motta. Despite Benfica’s resistance in an initial approach, «the market is only now opening», the newspaper also highlights.
Juve would then be interested in a paid loan, assuming the player’s entire salary bill with a mandatory purchase option. Araújo is valued at 55 million euros and will enter the final year of his contract next season, so either he renews or is transferred in the summer for the club to make a profit.
The Uruguayan player is returning from injury and has only played one game this season.
