Liverpool are on the verge of completing a loan move for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, with the deal expected to include an option to make the transfer permanent further down the line.
The Uruguayan international, who once wore the captain's armband at Camp Nou, is scheduled to undergo a medical on Sunday as the finishing touches are put on the arrangement. Should everything proceed smoothly, the 27-year-old will become the second addition of the summer at Anfield under new head coach Andoni Iraola, following the earlier capture of winger Victor Munoz.
Araujo's arrival would come as a welcome boost for a Liverpool side currently stretched thin at the back. The club has been contending with a defensive injury crisis heading into the new campaign. Right-back Conor Bradley is not expected to return to action until November, while Joe Gomez, capable of covering multiple positions across the backline, picked up an injury during Liverpool's opening pre-season fixture.
Adding to those concerns, centre-back Giovanni Leoni has been sidelined since tearing his cruciate ligament on his debut appearance against Southampton last September and has yet to feature since. Meanwhile, summer signing Jeremy Jacquet was left out of Liverpool's pre-season tour matches in the United States due to fitness worries, further limiting Iraola's options at the back.
Against that backdrop, Araujo's versatility makes him an especially valuable addition. Though he operates primarily as a central defender, the Uruguayan has also shown he can slot in comfortably at right-back, giving Iraola much-needed flexibility and depth in two positions that have been hit hardest by injuries.
Araujo has been a regular fixture for Barcelona over the years, racking up 213 appearances for the Catalan giants since establishing himself in the first team. However, his standing at the club took a hit last season after manager Hansi Flick opted to build his central defensive partnership around Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin, pushing Araujo down the pecking order.
That drop in playing time appears to have opened the door for a move away from Spain, at least on a temporary basis, with Liverpool moving swiftly to take advantage of the situation. The loan structure, paired with a potential option to buy, would give both clubs flexibility — allowing Liverpool to assess whether Araujo fits long-term plans under Iraola while giving Barcelona the chance to revisit the transfer at a later date.
For Liverpool, the timing of the deal could hardly be more important. With multiple defenders unavailable and the new Premier League season already underway, Iraola has been forced to manage his squad carefully, and the addition of an experienced international defender like Araujo would immediately ease some of that pressure.
Assuming the medical goes as planned, further details of the agreement, including its exact length and the conditions of any buy option, are expected to be confirmed by both clubs in the coming days.
Based on reporting from The Independent.