Liverpool have moved to solve their defensive crisis by agreeing a surprise deal to sign Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona for the 2026-27 season.
The 27-year-old Uruguay international is expected to undergo a medical in England on Sunday before completing his temporary switch to Anfield. The agreement also gives Liverpool an option to make the transfer permanent for €55 million, around £47.1 million, next summer.
Araujo’s arrival would provide an immediate boost for new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, whose defensive options have been badly depleted by a combination of departures and injuries.
Ibrahima Konate left Liverpool for Real Madrid this summer, while Joe Gomez suffered a muscle problem during the club’s opening pre-season fixture.
Teenage defender Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury, leaving captain Virgil van Dijk as the club’s only fully fit senior centre-back.
Liverpool also invested heavily in Jeremy Jacquet, signing the 21-year-old from Rennes, but the French defender has yet to feature during pre-season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Jacquet missed the second half of last season and Liverpool are taking a cautious approach to his return, increasing the need for an experienced defender capable of stepping immediately into Iraola’s team.
Araujo offers Liverpool considerably more experience.
The defender joined Barcelona’s reserve team in 2018 before making his senior debut the following year. He has since passed the 200-appearance mark for the Catalan giants and signed a contract extension in January 2025 running until June 2031.
Primarily a centre-back, Araujo can also operate at right-back, giving Iraola additional cover in another area where Liverpool have faced fitness problems.
His opportunities at Barcelona became more limited last season. Araujo made only 11 La Liga starts after taking an extended break from football in November 2025.
The defender later revealed that he had been dealing with depression during that period.
Despite his reduced playing time, Liverpool have identified Araujo as a player capable of providing both experience and versatility while allowing Jacquet and Leoni time to return to full fitness.
The structure of the deal also limits Liverpool’s immediate financial commitment. Rather than committing to a permanent transfer now, the Reds will have the opportunity to assess Araujo over a full Premier League campaign before deciding whether to activate the €55m purchase option.
Araujo’s medical is now the next major step, with Liverpool closing in on a significant addition to Iraola’s squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
