PALO ALTO, CA - JUNE 29: Los Angeles Galaxy defender Julian Araujo (22) crosses the ball into the box during the MLS, Fussball Herren, USA game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes on June 29, 2019 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, CA (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire) SOCCER: JUN 29 MLS - LA Galaxy at San Jose Earthquakes PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon19062928
According to The Boot Room (h/t Football.london), Tottenham are interested in signing Julian Araujo. It is being said that the club are in talks with the player over a summer transfer. The youngster has attracted plenty of interest with Juventus also being said to be interested.
Julian Araujo is a 19-year-old American right-back who plays for MLS side, LA Galaxy. A youth product of LA Galaxy, Araujo did spend a lot of his youth career in the academies of Central Coast Condors, Santa Barbara Soccer Club and Barca Residency Academy.
In 2018, he was signed by LA Galaxy and drafted to their youth side. However, he was promoted within a year to the senior side. So far, he has made 37 appearances for the side, scoring once and assisting thrice.
He featured in 15 MLS games last season. Although Araujo is of Mexican descent, he has played for the US through the youth levels and made his senior bow last month against El Salvador. He also managed to bag an assist in that game.
Spurs went ahead and signed Matt Doherty from Wolves at the start of this season. However, the Irishman has yet to nail down a place in Mourinho’s side. He has often been inconsistent and failed to replicate his Wolves form for his new side.
That has led to Mourinho preferring Serge Aurier for the right-back role. While the Ivorian has done well, there do remain issues with his ultra attacking style of play. His forward forays have often resulted in leaving the defence exposed for the opposition to take advantage.
Bringing in a player like Araujo in the future would be a good way to address the issue. The youngster is growing by leaps and bounds and was a breakout in last season’s MLS. He has shown that he can do the job at both ends of the pitch making him an ideal modern fullback.
It is a good move from Spurs to try and sign him in a few months time. It would give Mourinho a fair idea of which right-back to keep and Araujo to develop even further before making a move to England.