MAN UNITED TOLD TO SIGN ACE WITH £870M RELEASE CLAUSE

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that Ronald Araujo would be a "dream" signing for Manchester United if they miss out on defender Kim Min-jae.

Who wants to sign Kim Min-jae?

It seems the Red Devils are desperate to add some reinforcements to their back line this summer with Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg claiming a central defender is a first "priority" for the club.

And it has appeared that United are very keen on signing Napoli ace Kim. However, reports in Portugal (via Mirror) have recently claimed that Newcastle United now lead the race to land the South Korea international.

And so, if United miss out on that target to their Premier League rivals, they may have to shop elsewhere in the market and Goldbrige has claimed one man from Barcelona would be an ideal alternative.

Indeed, when speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge said: "I mean, I think Araujo – I never can pronounce his name – at Barcelona would be a dream. Dream."

How much is Araujo's release clause?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the Barca star in the recent past. Indeed, the defender's contract was due to expire in 2023, and Marca had claimed that Manchester United and Liverpool were keen on moving in.

However, Araujo has since committed his future to his current side, extending his deal at Camp Nou through to 2026, with his release clause rising to €1bn billion (roughly £870m). He also told ESPN: "I am really happy and I am convinced that staying is the right decision because there are good years ahead for the club.

While adding specifically on the exit talk: "[The Premier League interest] didn't distract me at all. I was convinced what I wanted. It's true money is a factor, but for me it's not the most important thing. I am happy at Barcelona."

With that being the case, it feels as though there is more of a chance of United landing Kim this summer than pulling off a move for Araujo who has been dubbed a "monster" by some in the media.

However, contracts don't always end up necessarily meaning that much in the world of football. And with that £870m release clause in his contract, perhaps hopeful owner Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani – who has bid well over five times that much in recent weeks – would want to pay that sort of money if he also views Araujo as a "dream" transfer.

For now, though, it all feels a little bit fanciful.

2023-05-29T10:54:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd