Liverpool are close to completing the signing of Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan with an option to buy
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona is close to joining Liverpool(Image: Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
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Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has already given a brutal verdict on Barcelona star Ronald Araujo, who looks set to complete a move to Liverpool. News emerged on Saturday that the Reds are close to completing a deal to sign the Uruguay international on a loan deal.
Liverpool have been heavily linked with signing new defenders this summer, particularly after the injury to Joe Gomez during their first pre-season match on the club’s tour of the United States.
Araujo will now be expected to join Liverpool on a season-long loan, which will also include the option for the move to be made permanent at the end of the campaign.
The 27-year-old has a wealth of experience at Barcelona to his name, making 213 appearances for the La Liga giants across all competitions, including 23 in the Champions League.
It was ahead of an appearance in the Champions League that Enrique delivered a verdict on Araujo, as he prepared his PSG team to face Barcelona.
PSG and the Spanish giants were preparing to go head-to-head in the 2023/24 season in the quarter-final, with Barcelona holding a 3-2 lead going into the second leg.
During a staff meeting, which was subsequently shown in a documentary about Enrique, the PSG boss said: "Let [Ronald] Araujo come with the ball. When he comes with the ball, when he releases it, we pressure him."
Enrique then went on to go into more detail as he spoke to his squad, where he said: "Let this gentleman (a magnet on a board) be Araujo, who is a high-level player, no doubt about it.
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“But he is the player with the most problems. Every time the ball gets to Araujo - whether it's a support, a pass and so on - when the ball comes in motion, cover the passing line and go."
PSG went on to claim a 4-1 win over Barcelona, which saw Araujo and Co. exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
Once a move is completed, Araujo would join Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni and Gomez as the central defensive options in the Liverpool squad.
Van Dijk is yet to feature during pre-season for the Reds after being granted an extended summer break following his role at the World Cup with the Netherlands.
Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury he suffered on debut last September, while Jacquet’s fitness is being managed after suffering a shoulder injury at the start of the year.