Chelsea join European giants in race to sign Barcelona superstar - Reports

Chelsea have emerged as a contender alongside Bayern Munich to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blues are looking to bolster their defense, with the Uruguayan emerging as a target.

The Bundesliga giants expressed an interest in signing the defender back in January, with manager Thomas Tuchel keen on making a move for him. However, the Catalan giants refused to negotiate, intent on keeping the star at Camp Nou.

However, amidst their financial troubles, Barcelona could now be convinced to sell Araujo. Currently, his contract runs until the summer of 2026 and he has a €1 billion release clause.

Chelsea will lose a key figure in central defense Thiago Silva, who is set to return to boyhood club Fluminense on a two-year deal. With reports linking Trevoh Chalobah with a move elsewhere as well, Araujo's addition could prove to be useful in central defense. Having conceded 63 goals in just 38 league games this season, the Blues' backline figures to be an area with massive room for improvement for the side.

Bayern, meanwhile, have options like Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Ligt, and Kim Min-jae in the position. However, the Dutchman has been linked with a move elsewhere over a lack of playing time, having made just 30 appearances this season. Hence, Araujo could be a good replacement for the Bavarians.

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Former Germany boss prioritising move to Barcelona over Chelsea: Reports

Flick has garnered interest from multiple clubs.

Former Germany national team head coach Hansi Flick is looking to snub Chelsea and Bayern Munich to become the next Barcelona boss. According to Catalunya Radio, the German is keen on a long-term project and is enticed by working at Camp Nou.

The managerial situation at Barcelona has grown messy over the past few weeks. Xavi announced back in January that he would leave at the end of the season but eventually decided to continue after requests from fans and the board. However, reports claim that club president Joan Laporta could now sack him at the end of the season.

Chelsea, meanwhile, shocked many after it was recently announced that Mauricio Pochettino would leave at the end of the season. The Argentine spearheaded a strong second half of the campaign that saw the Blues jump up from 12th to sixth in the Premier League. They also reached the final of the Carabao Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Flick had an impressive stint with Bayern Munich from 2019-2021, initially taking over as interim manager before guiding the side to a treble in 2020. He also won a treble with them before leaving the Bavarian side to take up the national team position.