Best Alternatives to Maxi Araújo

Top 3 Alternatives to Maxi Araújo

1. 1.Tomás Araújo95% DNA match·Benfica€28.0M
2. 2.Ronald Araujo91% DNA match·FC Barcelona€25.0M
3. 3.Nuno Santos87% DNA match·Sporting CP€5.0M

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Playing Style Analysis

A Active Full-Back. Statistically, he stands out as a capable chance creator (1.2 key passes/90), a regular goalscorer (0.22 goals/90), active in the tackle (2.1 tackles/90), draws fouls effectively (2.4/90) and active off the ball (2.7 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. The three most similar players to Maxi Araújo by playing style are:

• Tomás Araújo(95% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as active in the tackle (1.8 tackles/90), meticulous in distribution (89% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (58% duel success), heavily involved in possession (62 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (9.6 final-third passes/90), central to possession (74 touches/90), switches play with precision (6.8 long balls/90, 62% accuracy) and active off the ball (2.2 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
• Ronald Araujo(91% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as meticulous in distribution (92% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (57% duel success), heavily involved in possession (67 passes/90), central to possession (76 touches/90), strong in aerial duels (3.1 aerials won/90) and active off the ball (2.2 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. Note: this profile is based on 555 minutes of playing time this season.
• Nuno Santos(87% match) — Santos is the rare defender who creates more danger than most attackers in Liga Portugal—his 3.07 key passes per 90 and 2.05 shots per 90 both land in the top 5% of all defenders in the division, numbers that belong on a winger's profile, not a backline one. His 100% duel win rate sounds like a small-sample anomaly—and with only 352 minutes, it partly is—but his 90.9% pass accuracy suggests genuine technical quality rather than a player simply avoiding contact. Here's the counterintuitive read: his low press intensity isn't laziness, it's positioning intelligence; he intercepts above average precisely because he reads the game rather than chasing it.

Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →