At a glance:
- Tottenham want Maxi Araujo
- Arsenal jump ahead of Spurs
- Gus Poyet raves about Araujo
Tottenham are already making plans to fine-tune their squad as Roberto De Zerbi prepares to shape a new era at the club.
The Italian has signed a five-year deal at the club without a relegation clause. He will be at the club whether or not they remain in the Premier League, which is good news for Tottenham.
Spurs’ defence has been a problem this season as they have struggled due to injuries and poor performances from key players.
Maxi Araujo is on Tottenham’s radar and is having a fantastic season with Sporting CP.
And now, it appears as if local rivals Arsenal have made their move to sign the Uruguayan.
Arsenal steal march on Araujo
Tottenham already have Destiny Udogie and Souza at the club, while Ben Davies is also an option.
However, Udogie has struggled with injuries and the Brazilian is still young. As for Davies, he is a club legend, but it goes without saying that he is past his prime.
Due to the aforementioned factors, interest in Araujo isn’t surprising.
However, Portuguese newspaper Record report that Arsenal have already initiated contact to sign Araujo from Sporting CP.
He has a £68m release clause, but the Gunners are trying to get a deal done for around £52m, which is still a sizable fee.
Arsenal have already held initial talks with the Uruguayan’s agents. So if Tottenham want to make a move, they need to react quickly.
Gus Poyet approves Tottenham’s Araujo move
Gus Poyet knows a thing or two about Tottenham and Uruguayan players.
In an exclusive with Read Tottenham, he spoke about Araujo’s impact and growth this season, describing him as an ‘interesting’ player.
“He is a very interesting player,” said Poyet to Read Tottenham.
“I have seen him quite a lot and I like what I see. Initially a left winger, he was very good when he played for the national team and also the club team.
“He performs well consistently and can create and score and improve all the time.
“But, more recently, he has shown his versatility by playing wing back, which is a good sign that, as a player, you can adapt, so he would be a good addition for sure.”
Tottenham have already agreed a deal to sign Andy Robertson, although the deal hinges on whether they avoid relegation.
De Zerbi’s philosophy is very physically demanding, so maybe Tottenham are better off signing someone younger like Araujo over Robertson.
The Scot is a Liverpool legend and a fantastic player and a leader. But at this stage of his career, it remains to be seen how much fuel he has left in his tank.
