Araujo is a six-cap Uruguay international who is currently playing his club football in Mexico, but could get the opportunity to play for a club on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean soon.
According to Football Transfers, Everton are ‘closely monitoring’ the 23-year-old, who is also being observed by La Liga side Real Betis.
As the report explains, Everton’s interest comes after they tried and failed to sign Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra from Leeds United over the summer.
Unlike his teammate Jack Harrison, who did go to Everton in a loan deal that they would like to become permanent, Gnonto stayed at Leeds (admittedly against his will) – though TEAMtalk recently confirmed he is still on Everton’s wish list, as well as those of some Serie A sides – while Sinisterra signed for Bournemouth instead.
Now, Araujo has been unearthed as another winger under consideration by Everton. The added benefit of the Toluca star is that he can – and often has this season, in fact more often than not – also play as a left-back.
Everton could therefore look at the former Montevideo Wanderers product as someone who could reinforce two roles for them.
Bringing him to the Premier League would give Araujo a first taste of English football, so Everton will have to weigh up carefully if he has all the attributes they need for Sean Dyche’s system.
What could Araujo offer for Everton?
In the 2023-24 season so far, Araujo has played 15 times for Toluca, scoring twice and adding one assist. His overall record for his current club, whom he joined in January, is eight goals and six assists from 37 appearances.
He is under contract with the Liga MX side until the end of December 2026, but the report claims he would be ‘open’ to coming to Europe.
Specifically who with, though, remains to be seen. If he was to choose Real Betis instead as his next destination, Europa League participation would be on offer if they can get out of the group stage.
The Seville-based outfit are currently bracing themselves for the departure of left-sided defender Juan Miranda in 2024, which is perhaps why they have shortlisted Araujo as an option.
Meanwhile, in the positions Araujo can fill, Everton have Vitaliy Mykolenko and the veteran Ashley Young at left-back, and primarily Dwight McNeil on the left wing (since Harrison has mainly been playing on the right and Arnaut Danjuma has been spreading his gametime across various attacking roles).
Source: Teamtalk
