Liverpool is closing in on a deal to sign Ronald Araujo from Barcelona on loan for the season, which includes a clause for him to join the club permanently next summer.
Liverpool has inserted a buy option in Ronald Araujo's loan from Barcelona
Liverpool has inserted a buy option in Ronald Araujo's loan from Barcelona(Image: (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
Ronald Araujo is set to be Liverpool's third signing of the summer transfer window, joining the club in a deal that accelerated quickly over the past few days.
The 27-year-old became available on the market after a meeting with Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, where it was made clear that the defender wouldn't be a key player for the coming season.
Liverpool quickly swooped in, landing a loan deal with the Blaugrana to take the Uruguayan international on for the full season, sealing favorable transfer terms in the process.
There is no loan fee for Araujo, with the Reds simply covering the full cost of the versatile star's wages for the campaign ahead, where he could end up playing a key role for Andoni Iraola.
There is also an opportunity to make the transfer permanent next summer, with a clause inserted into the deal that could allow the Reds to seal the switch.
The buy clause is not mandatory, but rather optional, meaning that Liverpool can choose whether to keep Araujo or not at the end of the season, depending on the performances he puts in this season.
There has been uncertainty over just how much that clause is worth, but Mundo Deportivo claims that the fee is in the region of €55 million (£47 million/$63.5 million).
It means any deal could prove relatively affordable next summer, while Liverpool takes on very little risk in the short-term by seeing how he fits before that move is made.
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona
That buy option is set to have an expiry date, which is likely to be set for a specific date next summer, but there is plenty of time before the Reds have to consider whether to trigger it or not.
For the coming season, it's a move that makes complete sense for covering off several problem positions. At centre-back, Araujo could offer cover and experience, with Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, and Joe Gomez suffering from varying injury troubles.
A similar situation can be seen at right-back, with Conor Bradley's knee injury leaving Jeremie Frimpong as the only regular senior option there, while his struggles with fitness and form hardly make the position reliable.
Depending on his performances, a long-term deal for Araujo could end up making sense, especially considering the contract situations facing Liverpool over the next year.
Virgil van Dijk and Gomez are two notable players entering the final 12 months of their deals at Liverpool, with uncertainty surrounding their future at the club beyond the coming season.
In Araujo, there is a player who could help ease the transition that is set to come in the defensive ranks, adding plenty of experience and quality during the peak years of his career.
It remains to be seen whether he will justify such a move with his performances this season, of course, with some huge months ahead for him to show why Liverpool should make the deal permanent.