The information had the effect of a small bombshell last night. While no rumor had circulated, we learned through Fabrizio Romano And Mundo Deportivo that Liverpool were close to completing the arrival of Ronald Araújo. The Uruguayan defender would arrive in the form of a loan with an option to buy. The finalization is even imminent since the 27-year-old player is expected in England this Sunday to undergo his medical examination. FC Barcelona is rubbing its hands.
It’s a departure that the Catalan team was no longer expecting. Not that she no longer counts on him since he is under contract until 2031 and he is one of the vice-captains, but Araújo weighs heavily in salary, and above all, he has been nothing but a shadow of himself for several seasons now. Once the future boss of Barça’s defense, he went through darker mental phases which forced him to stop for months, to the point of disappearing.
A choice that questions
This is what the English press is questioning this morning about the choice of the Reds. With the departure of Ibrahima Konaté, they were looking for an element capable of evolving alongside Virgil van Dijk. “He was named as one of the club’s captains following the departure of Marc-André Ter Stegen in January, but played just 11 La Liga games for the Catalan club last season, following a long break from his football career in November 2025, while recovering from what he later revealed was depression“, writing Sky Sports.
It seems that there is an emergency because Jérémy Jacquet, recruited for €65 million this winter, but left at Stade Rennais until the summer, is not ready. He is perceived as tender, inexperienced and above all with a worrying physique, alarms the English media. The Frenchman has not yet participated in the pre-season, having already been injured throughout the end of last season. The English press understands the urgent need to bring in one or even two defensive elements but the identity of the recruit is surprising.
The advantage of versatility
“The defender was heavily criticized after being sent off during the Champions League group stage defeat to Chelsea in November, and subsequently took a break for mental health reasons before returning to action in January» reminds him Liverpool Echo on his side. Araujo still has a great asset up his sleeve: his versatility. He is capable of playing on the right side, a position where there is also a shortage. In addition to Jacquet, Gomez is injured, Leoni has not yet recovered from his cruciate ligament rupture, Bradley is unavailable until January and Frimpong has often been handicapped by several physical problems.
