‘Crazy for Maxi’ – Tottenham and Chelsea in for Uruguay star, both send officials

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing Sporting’s Maxi Araújo in the summer.

The Uruguay international is attracting interest from several clubs and both Chelsea and Tottenham are in this list.

Araújo joined the Lions from Mexican side Toluca in August 2024. He has been a regular, mainly operating as a left-back, and at times as a wing-back and a winger.

This season, he’s played 35 matches and 27 were as a left-back. Over those matches he’s managed six goals and four assists.

The league stats per game would give an idea of his overall game, both while attacking and defending.

• Big chances created: 2
• Key passes: 1.2
• Shots on target: 0.6
• Goal conversion: 13%
• Interceptions: 1.1
• Tackles: 1.9
• Ball recovery: 3.8
• Clearances: 1.3
• Duels won: 5.8

His performances and versatility could make him an attractive option in the market, and it wouldn’t have gone unnoticed.

Chelsea and Tottenham travel for Maxi Araujo

The fullback is on the front page of today’s edition of Record. The Blues, Spurs, AC Milan and Atlético Madrid are his suitors, with ‘Crazy for Maxi’ written in bold.

Within the report, the newspaper gives an insight into the work done by the two Premier League sides and others so far.

Earlier this week, Sporting overcame a 3-0 first leg deficit to beat Bodø/Glimt in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Lions won the tie 5-1 in extra time to seal a berth in the quarter final.

Araújo played 110 minutes and scored the fourth goal in extra time, crucial for Sporting to progress in the competition.

Napoli and Atalanta have already looked at him.

The ‘interest has increased’ as Chelsea, Tottenham, the La Liga side and the Rossoneri are now keen. In fact, the four clubs specifically travelled to Portugal to watch the South American.

The Blues signed Geovany Quenda and Dário Essugo from the Lions in 2025. Earlier in the season, Sport Witness relayed news of Chelsea travelling to Portugal to scout more players.

Chelsea, Spurs and the two other clubs have collected positive reports about Araújo and whether it’s sufficient to make advances isn’t clear yet.

Why summer deal could be complicated

Sporting, from their perspective, want to offer him an extension, to improve his current salary of €650-700k per year. He has an €80m release clause and whether this will rise with a new deal isn’t clear.

Maxi Araujo’s contract lasts until 2029, and Transfermarkt value him at €25m. agency GBG Global Business Group manage the player. They manage 83 players including Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Santiago Bueno.