If Liverpool fans have had one gripe this summer, it is that their long search for a Mohamed Salah replacement has dragged on and on, with drawn-out sagas for first Yan Diomande and now Bradley Barcola.
But as for the two players they have signed, it’s been as easy as uno, dos, tres. Spanish World Cup winner Victor Munoz arrived for £34.5million from Osasuna in June, and yesterday it was the turn of Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo.
It is understood the Reds only made contact with the Uruguay international’s camp last Wednesday. From that point on, Araujo only had one thing on his mind: make this move happen.
Araujo spoke to new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola and was immediately sold on the move, a view furthered by talks with sporting director Richard Hughes. This was an opportunity he could not pass up – he has always wanted to play in the Premier League.
He wanted the move so much, in fact, that he took a pay cut to make it happen. While Liverpool will cover his salary in full, Araujo will not receive as much as he did at Barcelona.
If the season-long loan goes well, the Reds have agreed a £47.1million fee to make it permanent.
Ronald Araujo’s loan move from Barcelona will help to ease Liverpool’s defensive crisis
The versatile Araujo can cover at both centre-half and full back and will likely be thrown straight in by Andoni Iraola
There have been reservations among some fans about Araujo’s ability and reliability but the positives of this move far outweigh the negatives.
First, his arrival alleviates a gaping hole in Liverpool’s back line – one that Iraola had identified as a problem area given a multitude of defensive injuries.
Just eight minutes into the first pre-season friendly, Joe Gomez limped off with a muscle injury and he will not be available for the beginning of the Premier League season.
Young duo Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni also remain sidelined, while Virgil van Dijk is 35 and only contracted to the end of the coming season. Losing Ibrahima Konate, the experienced French defender who joined Real Madrid for nothing, was a major blow.
Jacquet is set to resume full training this week, it is understood, while Leoni is in the final stage of rehabilitation after missing the best part of a year with a ligament problem. Jacquet has also not played since February so, even if the pair were fit, they will need a bedding-in period.
Araujo, who has played 213 times for Barcelona and won LaLiga on three occasions, can help the duo settle slowly rather than be thrown in at the deep end.
The other big positive about Araujo’s arrival is that he can fill in at right back, another problem area given Conor Bradley’s long-term injury.
Need cover for Jacquet or Leoni? Step up, Araujo. Need cover for Bradley or Jeremie Frimpong? Step up, Araujo.
Experts in Spain say Araujo is an old-school defender who likes to get stuck in
Araujo (pictured with wife Abigail and his daughters Aitana and Adara) is a family man whose favourite pastime is spending time with his loved ones
Sources say the 27-year-old is not the most vocal of players in the dressing room but he has a strong presence and gains the respect of team-mates. Instead of hiding when times get tough, he is said to be keen to get involved and step up.
He remains humble and has always stayed in touch with friends from back home in Uruguay. A fan of firing up his barbecue on days off, Araujo is a family man whose favourite pastime is spending time with his loved ones.
With those LaLiga titles under his belt, to go with two Copa del Rey winner’s medals, Araujo knows what it takes to win. He has also featured twice in the team of the season in Spain.
But his journey to this point has not always been straightforward. The glare of life at Barcelona has caused Araujo issues with anxiety at points. Several poor performances led to his family receiving death threats. He took a break from football in late 2025.
In an interview with The Athletic before the World Cup, he revealed: ‘I’m going to tell you something that might come as a surprise. Even though I haven’t played that many minutes, this has been the season I’ve learnt the most.
‘I’ve grown a lot mentally. I’ve learnt to be a better husband, a better father, to see things differently, to put things into perspective. People think that because we’re footballers and earn a lot of money, we don’t have any worries, but we do.
‘A lot of things happen in the world of football, and they build up, causing you stress. You can play on a Wednesday and be the best in the world, while on Saturday you lose and you’re the worst.’
Araujo should be lauded for taking his mental health seriously and stepping away to work on his wellbeing. So too for speaking out so frankly. For the Barcelona captain to do that must be inspiring to other players struggling around the world.
The defender has struggled under the scrutiny of life at Barcelona during recent seasons
He has had troubles on the pitch, too, and his form has been inconsistent at times. He has missed 40 games over the last two seasons through absences, physical or mental, according to Transfermarkt. The defender has also been shown four red cards in his career.
Despite the caveats, Liverpool believe Araujo brings important qualities with his experience, leadership and versatility. A source in Spain told Daily Mail Sport this was ‘100 per cent a top signing’ and discussed Araujo’s old-school defensive traits, such as a desire to get stuck in.
He is extremely competitive and enjoys taking responsibility in duels. He is quick, strong in the air and old-fashioned in the sense that he loves the physical side of the game. He has developed his on-the-ball game, too.
Another reason to be cheerful for the Reds is they have ticked off a priority position on their shopping list without spending a fee. It allows them to focus on signing at least one forward.
Araujo’s name was a surprise in a summer where many centre backs have been churned out by the rumour-mill. Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven was strongly linked, while Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa was also said to be one considered.
There was talk of Chelsea’s Josh Acheampong and Maxence Lacroix, then of Crystal Palace, while Club Bruges’ Joel Ordonez was a name that never went away after January links.
But that talk is over and it is Araujo who has emerged as solution to Liverpool’s defensive crisis.
