United watch Araújo in Miami
Manchester United’s search for a new left-sided option appears to be gathering pace, with Record reporting that the club sent an official to watch Maxi Araújo during Uruguay’s 2-2 draw with Cape Verde at the World Cup.
For United, this was not a casual glance. According to Record, the club are “tightening their grip” on the Sporting player, having tracked him across the 2025/26 season.
Araújo, 26, has made a persuasive case in front of a global audience. Two goals and one assist in his first two World Cup appearances for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay have turned existing interest into something more serious.
Araújo’s Sporting form attracts Premier League attention
What makes Araújo especially interesting for Manchester United is not simply form, it is function. He can operate at left-back and further forward on the left flank, giving United the sort of flexibility modern squads increasingly demand.
Record claim United’s representative left Miami with an even stronger impression of the player. That matters. Tournament performances can distort reputations, yet Araújo’s appeal seems rooted in longer-term scouting, rather than one bright night under World Cup lights.
After the Cape Verde match, Araújo addressed his future and said: “I am very happy at Sporting, but you never know what will happen”.
That line will travel. Players rarely close doors completely, particularly when Premier League clubs are circling, but this felt like a response designed to leave room for movement.
Sporting set price as transfer race builds
Sporting are not passive observers in this. Record report that once Uruguay’s World Cup campaign ends, the Portuguese club intend to meet Araújo’s representatives to discuss his future.
If no deal emerges, Sporting are prepared to offer him a significant pay rise. He currently earns between €700,000 and €800,000 net per year, according to Record, with a new contract potentially moving him…
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