Liverpool have sprung a surprising loan for FC Barcelona and Uruguay centre-back Ronald Araújo.
As exclusively revealed by Fabrizio Romano, the Reds this evening have struck a verbal agreement club-to-club with Barcelona, which has now been approved by Barça director Deco.
Romano has also revealed that the deal includes a buy option clause, though it is not mandatory, which gives Liverpool a chance to assess triggering it come the end of the 2026/27 season.
Araújo was the Barcelona captain in 2025/26, but only played 30 minutes or more in two of the Catalan giants’ final eight matches of the season.
Why have Liverpool made this signing?
Van Dijk and Jacquet are currently the only two fit natural centre backs available for Liverpool (Photo by Nikki Dyer/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Defensive depth has been an issue for Liverpool, with Andoni Iraola currently having two available centre-halves, following Joe Gomez’s injury during pre-season, which will see him miss the beginning of the 26/27 Premier League campaign.
Currently, only Virgil van Dijk and Jérémy Jacquet are the main options that are fit enough to play in the middle of the defence, due to the injury to Gomez and Giovanni Leoni’s continued recovery from the ACL injury that he suffered last season.
A squad stretched at the back
During the pre-season defeat to Leeds, 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who signed for the club this summer from FK Austria Wien, started next to Luke Chambers, who himself returned to Anfield following a six-month loan spell in South London, at Charlton Athletic.
Losing Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer was a big blow to Liverpool, and while Jacquet is expected to be the first choice next to Van Dijk, bringing in Araújo allows some of the pressure to be eased on the young French defender.
Cover at right-back too
Araújo’s ability to also play right back will be helpful to Iraola, particularly due to the lack of depth in that area too, with only Jeremie Frimpong and Calvin Ramsay available to the Spaniard at this current moment.
Dominik Szoboszlai filled in on the right during parts of last season, but he is a more dangerous player when he is playing in a more traditional midfielder spot.