**Liverpool have signed Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona with the option to buy in 2027, but the signing means Cdoy Gakpo now needs to be sold to make space for Bradley Barcola.**
Fabrizio Romano first broke the news of Araujo’s loan move to Anfield before other top journalists followed suit, with Liverpool fans surprised at both the decision to sign the 27-year-old and the lack of links before the announcement.
James Pearce has shared the finer details of the deal for [The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7499783/2026/08/07/ronald-araujo-liverpool-transfer-barcelona/?unlocked_article_code=1.31A.r3A_.7CqOXOjtZT5H&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta), stating that the decision to sign Araujo centres around the cost-effectiveness of signing him on loan and his ability to deputise at right back.
The journalist reports: _“After a turbulent year on a personal level, Araujo wanted this to be his year at Barcelona. Before the World Cup, the possibility of leaving had not crossed the Uruguay international’s mind, and he was convinced he could once again become a key player for manager Hansi Flick._
_“That was until a few days ago, when the German met with the centre-back and told him his plan was to stick with the same defensive system as last season and that Araujo would get playing time, but not a key role._
_“The Liverpool option emerged within those two days and everything happened very quickly. Within a day, the deal was done — Liverpool agreed to cover the player’s wages and the defender’s agent travelled to meet with Barca’s sporting director Deco.”_
Why Araujo signing means a non-homegrown player needs to be sold to make space for Bradley Barcola
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Araujo’s arrival on Merseyside may not be the unanimously popular decision that sporting director Richard Hughes would have hoped for, but the Uruguayan solves a number of headaches for Andoni Iraola, with his £9.4m wages being the only major cost involved aside from the undisclosed loan fee Liverpool will pay to Barcelona.
However, it does simultaneously create another issue.
Liverpool had one remaining slot to register non-homegrown players this summer, and Araujo now makes that zero.
If the Reds want to sign Barcola, as has been heavily reported to be the case for weeks now, then they will need to sell or loan out a non-homegrown player, with Cody Gakpo looking a likely candidate.
The Dutchman, who is on a [£13m per year contract](https://www.capology.com/player/cody-gakpo-36287/), has been linked with a move to Tottenham with little to no progress made since reports first emerged, but that may soon change.