Barcelona have refused to up their latest contract offer to Ronald Araujo, despite it being well below the defender’s demands, according to reports in the Catalan media.

The Uruguayan international has just fifteen months remaining on his current deal at the Camp Nou but it appears that no agreement will be reached over an extension unless Barca relent on their current stance.

A number of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have been linked with Araujo in recent weeks, and this latest development increases the likelihood of the centre-back moving clubs this summer.

It is believed that Barcelona may still hold out for a fee in the region of €45m (£37m) for the 23-year-old but that sort of figure won’t put off United.

The Red Devils have been poor defensively this campaign, having conceded 40 goals in 29 matches, and Araujo could be a perfect addition to reinforce the backline.