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Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to beat Manchester United and Manchester City in the race for Sporting CP star Maxi Araujo, as per a report.<\/p>\n
Araujo is a 26-year-old left-back who can also operate further forward as a left winger. He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and spent time at Mexican clubs Puebla and Toluca before joining Sporting in August 2024.<\/p>\n
Sporting paid Toluca just under \u20ac14million for Araujo, and he has gone on to become an important first-team player at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.<\/p>\n
This season, Araujo has put up six goals and four assists in 41 matches, helping his club reach the Portuguese Cup final and compete for the Primeira Liga title.<\/p>\n
According to Portuguese newspaper Record<\/em> (as cited by Sport Witness<\/em>), Araujo could \u2018follow in Viktor Gyokeres\u2019 footsteps\u2019 as Arsenal have \u2018already initiated contact\u2019 over a potential deal for the wide man.<\/p>\n Arsenal<\/strong> boss Arteta has supposedly made Araujo a key target to bolster the left-back position this summer, with both Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly having been linked with exits.<\/p>\n READ: Man Utd \u2018revisionism\u2019 exposed as Arsenal backed for double with title race \u2018uncomfortably familiar\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Araujo\u2019s displays against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals \u2013 where the Gunners ran out 1-0 aggregate winners \u2013 \u2018caught the eye\u2019 of Arteta. As a result, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has \u2018moved from words to action\u2019.<\/p>\n Recent reports have credited Man Utd and Man City with interest in Araujo, but it is Arsenal who have approached his agents first.<\/p>\n The Uruguay international\u2019s contract runs until June 2029 and includes a huge \u20ac80m (\u00a369m) exit clause.<\/p>\n But that is simply to protect Araujo\u2019s transfer value, and Sporting are actually open to selling him for \u20ac60m (\u00a352m).<\/p>\n Sport Witness <\/em>add that Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have scouted Araujo this term, while other clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan are keen on him, too.<\/p>\n Even if one of Calafiori or Lewis-Skelly leaves this summer, left-back is unlikely to be a priority position for Arsenal.<\/p>\n Piero Hincapie has largely operated there in recent months, and Arsenal are expected to sign him permanently in the summer.<\/p>\n Jurrien Timber can also play at left-back if Arteta is short on options.<\/p>\n Instead, Arsenal\u2019s priority should be landing an elite new left winger to replace the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.<\/p>\n Real Madrid\u2019s Rodrygo would have been a key target for Arsenal, but he is recovering from an ACL injury.<\/p>\n Alternatives include Anthony Gordon, Rafael Leao and Bradley Barcola.<\/p>\n READ NEXT: Rosenior \u2018red herring\u2019 raised while Arsenal \u2018cheats\u2019 engage in \u2018beautiful\u2019 bottling<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\nMore important targets for Arsenal<\/h2>\n