On the lookout for an opportunity at central defender during the next winter transfer window, PSG will have to battle to afford Tomas Araujo, who appeals to several Premier League clubs and whom Benfica does not wish to sell in January .
The lead emerged at the very end of the transfer window last summer. While a departure from Milan Skriniar was in the pipeline, PSG had set its sights on Tomas Araujoa promising 22-year-old Portuguese central defender, who had just played around twenty matches with Benfica Lisbon. PSG had even submitted a salary offer to the player according to L'Equipe, but Benfica had closed the door.
The Lisbon club does not regret it since Tomas Araujo has definitively established himself in central defense this season, relegating the club's other defensive promise Antonio Silva to the bench. Also capable of helping out on the right, Araujo had a great match during the Lisbon Eagles' 4-1 victory against Porto last weekend.
Tracked by PSG, Araujo won at Benfica
The Portuguese press unanimously praised him after the match, highlighting as much his successful defensive performance as his offensive contribution, with a magnificent decisive pass from the outside of the foot on Benfica's first goal, or even a vertical pass which made the difference on the construction of 3-1. “A central defender with the brain of a number 10”enthused Record after the meeting.
This quality of foot from Tomas Araujo has certainly not gone unnoticed at PSG where we are already starting to want to anticipate the post-Marquinhos era. Last week, L'Equipe revealed that PSG would be on the lookout for market opportunities this winter to recruit a promising right-handed central defender, a desire which will be even more marked if Milan Skriniar were to leave the club.
A €100 million clause and big odds in the Premier League
Young, versatile, technically adept, Tomas Araujo ticks many boxes to be targeted again by PSG this winter, but it will not be easy to dislodge him. According to O Jogo, Benfica has no economic need to sell him this winter and Rui Costa, the president of the Portuguese club, absolutely wants to keep him until the end of the season.
Under contract with Benfica until 2028, Araujo also has a release clause set at €100 million, even if this does not mean that he will necessarily leave for this price, the recent transfer of João Neves to PSG having proven that the Lisbon club was able to sell its best players at a price lower than their clause.
However, the competition promises to be tough in the Tomas Araujo file, which has been popular with Crystal Palace and Chelsea since last summer. According to O Jogo, the two Premier League clubs are still interested and a new English team is also in the running. This is Newcastle, which has been without its central defender Sven Botman for several months, who is however expected to return from injury in December 2024.
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