Impending Liverpool signing Ronald Araujo has been praised plenty during his time at Barcelona so far, with Vinicius Jr among those to give the most glowing review of his ability.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates their side's first goal, an own goal by Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF
Vinicius Jr gave plenty of praise to Ronald Araujo before his transfer to Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images))
Ronald Araujo was once described as the "best defender" Vinicius Jr had faced in his career, as the Barcelona captain prepares to make a surprise loan switch to Liverpool.
The 27-year-old has agreed to join the Reds after Hansi Flick made it clear that he wouldn't be a key player for the team moving forward, bringing about the option of an exit from the Nou Camp.
Liverpool quickly made it the top priority to get a deal done, securing a season-long loan for the star in just two days, which includes the option of a permanent deal at the end of the season.
Attention has quickly shifted from awe over the speed and the transfer to wondering just how the star may fit in with Andoni Iraola and his style of play.
As a versatile option, he can play as both a centre-back and a right-back, offering cover in the positions that could bring valuable squad depth.
Araujo also has experience playing in an intense style, with Flick deploying a similar methodology to Iraola with his Barcelona team, which is all about playing a high line and pressing with intent.
There may be some mixed reviews about the performances of the Uruguayan international before he arrives, with some praise for his displays and some concern for the occasional mistake he is capable of making.
When it comes to praise, however, none comes bigger than being placed among the best players by the best players, as was the case in 2023.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr paid tribute to his Barcelona rival Araujo with some kind words, as he said: "The best defender I have ever faced is Araujo. He's very strong and very good. That's why he plays for Barca."
Ronald Araujo centre-back of Barcelona and Uruguay celebrates the goal of his team during the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid
Liverpool has inserted a buy option in Ronald Araujo's loan from Barcelona(Image: (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
It's unclear whether Vinicius would still think that now, three years on from that claim, but it shows the levels that the impending Liverpool signing has reached in the past.
If he can reach those levels again, then it will give Liverpool a huge boost heading into a season where everyone will need to contribute to the cause.
Quality in depth will be key to Iraola's success this campaign, with his intense style likely to throw some questions at the manager about how he manages his team playing twice a week.
It's a step up from his time at Bournemouth, where the focus was largely on the Premier League, and the strain of a Champions League campaign was not thrown into the mix.
It means players like Araujo will be key, especially if he can perform to the levels that saw him receive such acclaim in the past.