Market stirs, Maxi Araújo could leave Sporting for... Cucurella | OneFootball

Chelsea are paying increasingly close attention to Maxi Araújo and could move for the Sporting player in the coming weeks. Marc Cucurella’s departure to Real Madrid will force the London club to look for a new option for the left flank, and the Uruguayan international is among the names most highly rated at Stamford Bridge.

The interest is not new. Chelsea’s decision-makers have been tracking Maxi for several months, carrying out live scouting and exploratory contacts with the player’s entourage. Now, with the need to find a replacement for Cucurella, the process could take on a new dimension.

Even so, Sporting do not intend to let go easily of one of their most important players. Frederico Varandas has a meeting scheduled with the Uruguayan’s representatives to reinforce the intention of keeping the player at Alvalade and offer him an improved salary that will place him among the best-paid players in the squad.

Maxi’s participation in the World Cup is also being closely monitored by Sporting’s hierarchy. The green-and-white officials believe that a strong campaign with the Uruguay national team — who already scored a goal in their opening match — could further increase the market value of the ‘number 20’ on the international stage.

Sporting. The Lions are aiming for figures close to the release clause, set at 80 million euros, and are showing no urgency whatsoever to negotiate the player’s sale.

On Chelsea’s side, there is still another obstacle. Before making a formal move to sign Maxi Araújo, the Blues need to make some sales to balance the books and create financial room for new investments in this transfer window.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.