Thomas Araujo would be PSG's top target in defence if Milan Skriniar leaves. But who is he really? Discover his profile thanks to the excellent Alexander Carvalhospecializing in Portuguese football.
Who is Thomas Araujo?
Tomás Araujo was born on May 16, 2002 in Portugal. He started playing football at Operário Famalicão in 2010 and joined the team SL Benfica In 2016 at U15 where he had an excellent first season. He quickly established himself as an undisputed player in all youth categories and was an important element in the Youth League winning team during the 2021/2022 season. He forms in particular an exceptional central joint with Portuguese international António Silva.
Thomas made his B-team debut during the 2020/21 season. He was only 18 years old at the time. Two good seasons followed, allowing him to make his first-team debut in 2021. On 22 July 2022, he was loaned to Gil Vicente to gain playing time and experience. There, he had a complicated start with Ivo Vieira, but he ended up establishing himself as a regular under Daniel Sousa.
He returned to Benfica last season but played very little as Roger Schmidt preferred the joint formation of Antonio Silva and Nicolas Otamendi. However, his situation seems to have improved this season since he started all three matches that Encarnados played.
Behavior and characteristics
Tomás Araujo has everything a modern defender has, he is qualified to play for the biggest clubs. He has always played in teams that often played with a high defensive line. So he is used to controlling the space behind him, which he does very well, and adopting the right body orientation.
If necessary, he can use his speed, which is generally correct, to catch up with his opponents. He is also very good at anticipation and has a real football IQ that allows him to read the game well, and he is a leader who has often been the captain of his teams.
With the ball he knows how to do everything. He has a recovery ability well above average, exceptional passing quality and great long-term play. He is the player his coaches use in the first game.
He is a player who can break two opposing lines with a single pass. He can destabilize a team by himself and takes a lot of risks. Something that is often demanded of defenders in modern football, especially by Luis Enrique.
As for his weaknesses, we can expect that he can still improve in terms of his aggression in ground and air duels. He still has some athletic flaws that he can correct over time.
For many, and this is especially the case for Renato Paiva (current coach of Toluca and former coach of the youth categories of Benfica), Tomás Araújo is the most complete defender to have trained at the Red and Whites training center. He has everything to become a reference in his position.
🔍 Thomas Araujo (2002) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📍Position: Center Back
✍🏼 Summary: Tomás Araujo was born on May 16, 2002 in Portugal. He started playing football at Operário Famalicão in 2010. He joined the team @SLBenfica In 2016 at U15 where he had an excellent first season. https://t.co/4RR1J5mHYO pic.twitter.com/VuZvjlUqGO
– Alexandre Carvalho (@AlexDS78) March 3, 2023
