Liverpool and Manchester United are still “ready to make their move” for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo if talks over a new contract end in a stalemate, according to ESPN.
The website reported at the end of last year that the Reds were keen on the Uruguayan international, and it is believed that they have maintained their interest since then.
In the meantime, both Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked with Araujo by other media sources, although the Blues’ ownership situation mean they are unlikely to enter the bidding currently.
Despite being pursued by other teams, ESPN claim that the player’s preference is to remain at the Camp Nou but negotiations over extending his current deal have been fraught with difficulty.
Barca are only prepared to offer €5m (£4.2m) a season and, with Araujo knowing he could earn almost double if he moved to England, it has led to negotiations grinding to a halt.
To break the deadlock, another meeting between the two parties is expected to be held in the coming days but, if no agreement is reached, the centre-back could be sold this summer, with his contract set to expire next year.
