Rabat – Liverpool have reached an agreement with FC Barcelona to bring Ronald Araujo to Anfield on loan for the upcoming season, in a move designed to address growing concerns over their defensive depth, according to Sky Sports.
The Uruguay international is expected in the UK on Sunday to complete his medical before finalising the temporary transfer. Liverpool will reportedly have the option to sign the 27-year-old permanently for approximately £47.14m (€55m).
Araujo has been with Barcelona since arriving from Uruguay in 2018. After initially developing with the club’s reserve side, he progressed to the senior team and has since made more than 200 appearances for the Catalan giants.
His experience is expected to be particularly valuable for Liverpool, who have seen their defensive options reduced during the summer. Ibrahima Konate has departed for Real Madrid, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet is still working his way back to full fitness.
The 21-year-old Jacquet arrived from Rennes but has yet to appear in pre-season after missing the latter part of last campaign due to shoulder surgery. His relatively limited senior experience has added to Liverpool’s need for another established defender.
The situation has been further complicated by injuries. Joe Gomez picked up a muscle problem during Liverpool’s opening pre-season fixture, while teenage defender Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.
With those absences, Virgil van Dijk is currently the only fully fit senior centre-back available to Liverpool, making Araujo’s arrival a timely boost.
The defender’s ability to play in more than one position could also benefit the Reds. While centre-back is his primary role, Araujo can operate at right-back, potentially providing cover in another area where Liverpool have been affected by injuries.
Araujo’s recent spell at Barcelona has been mixed. He was named among the club’s captains following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s departure in January but started only 11 LaLiga games last season. He had previously taken an extended break from football in November 2025 and later spoke publicly about his struggles with depression.
For Liverpool, the loan represents an opportunity to add an experienced international defender immediately while retaining the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
