Liverpool, Aug 8 (IANS) Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan, according to reports, as the Premier League club look to strengthen their options at centre-back ahead of the new season.
The 27-year-old Uruguay international is set to join Liverpool on a straight loan deal, with no permanent transfer option understood to be included in the agreement, according to Sky Sports.
Araujo, who joined Barcelona from Uruguay in 2018, progressed through the club’s reserve side before making his senior debut in 2019. He has since made more than 200 appearances for the Catalan club and was also named among Barcelona’s captains following the departure of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The move comes at a time when Liverpool are facing a shortage of experienced options in central defence. Ibrahima Konate has left the club to join Real Madrid, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet is yet to feature in pre-season after recovering from shoulder surgery.
Jacquet, who arrived from Rennes this summer, is only 21 and has fewer than 100 senior appearances to his name. His lack of match fitness has added to Liverpool’s concerns at the back.
Liverpool endured a challenging 2025–26 campaign, finishing 5th in the Premier League with 60 points from 38 matches (17 wins, 9 draws, 12 losses) to narrowly clinch Champions League qualification. They will also be without their talisman Mohammad Salah, who has left the club after nine successful years. Salah has joined Turkish club Trabzonspor.
Liverpool have also suffered an injury setback involving Joe Gomez, who picked up a muscle problem in the club’s opening pre-season fixture. Teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined while recovering from an ACL injury. The situation has left captain Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool’s only fully fit senior centre-back, increasing the need for additional defensive cover.
Araujo featured in only 11 LaLiga matches for Barcelona last season after taking an extended break from football in November 2025. The defender later revealed that he had been recovering from depression during that period.
–IANS
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