Amid a difficult ongoing injury crisis among defenders at the club, Liverpool decided to pull off a shock swoop for FC Barcelona center-back Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan
Ronald Araujo has been with Barcelona since joining in January 2019
Ronald Araujo has been with Barcelona since joining in January 2019(Image: Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo has been identified as the solution to Liverpool’s injury problem.
On Friday, news broke revealing that Liverpool was moving to sign Araujo on a season-long loan deal. The Uruguayan can play center-back and right-back, which means he is a crucial solution to the Reds’ ongoing injury crisis.
Andoni Iraola is currently without Joe Gomez through injury after he limped off during pre-season, with it being later revealed that he will miss around a month of action and therefore the start of the new campaign. Giovanni Leoni is still working his way back from an ACL injury, and Conor Bradley could be sidelined for another while yet.
Liverpool is struggling with health issues, while the club is still reeling from the exit of Ibrahima Konate, who joined Real Madrid as a free agent. Araujo is seen as the solution; the 27-year-old made 24 appearances in La Liga last season as Barcelona clinched the title, but he is set to join on loan for the season.
Since joining from Uruguayan club Boston River in January 2019, Araujo has made 213 first-team appearances for Barca in total, scoring 14 goals.
Araujo brings an experienced head to the back and will increase Iraola's options in a crucial part of the field.
The 27-year-old was also part of Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay squad for the World Cup, although he did not make an appearance as the nation exited at the group stage.
Ronald Araujo lifted the La Liga title after FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in May
Ronald Araujo lifted the La Liga title after FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in May(Image: Getty Images)
Araujo is renowned for his explosive physical power, recovery speed, and fierce competitive drive. He possesses a rare recovery pace, wins high balls, and clears dangerous crosses with ease, while he can press hard and tackle with intensity.
Rather than a modern central defender who passes the ball effectively and is good with his feet, Araujo focuses purely on stopping opponents. He keeps distribution simple and safe, preferring short passes to midfielders or the goalkeeper.
While he is fiery and physical, Araujo is also versatile. He is able to shift to right-back to lock down tricky wingers, which is partly why Liverpool is in for his services.
This summer, Liverpool has already added 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet to play in defense. Jacquet is highly rated, but he has yet to play a game in a Reds jersey due to the need to manage him as he comes back from injury.