Ronald Araujo has completed his transfer to Liverpool, with the defender joining the Reds on a season-long loan move from Barcelona to bolster Andoni Iraola's injury-hit backline
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Ronald Araujo poses at AXA Training Centre on August 10, 2026 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo has joined Liverpool on a season-long loan from Barcelona(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool has confirmed Ronald Araujo will wear the No. 33 shirt, with the defender becoming the first player to wear the number in 10 years.
Araujo’s transfer was confirmed on Monday, with the 27-year-old arriving on a season-long loan move from Barcelona. Liverpool has the option to make the move permanent next year for a fee of around $64 million (€55M).
His arrival comes at a good time for Liverpool, with Andoni Iraola running short of options at the back with less than two weeks to go until the start of the Premier League season, with the Reds kicking off at Newcastle on August 23.
Before then, Araujo will get the chance to make his first appearance for his new club as Liverpool faces Italian side Como in a double-header at Anfield in what will be their final run-out of pre-season.
The games will give Araujo the chance to show off his new shirt number, with Liverpool confirming that he will take the No.33 shirt after his arrival was confirmed.
It is something of an unusual number for a new signing to take, and it hasn’t been used for 10 years now, with the last player to wear it being Jordon Ibe, who left the club in 2016. Others to have donned the No. 33 include Jonjo Shelvey, Sebastian Leto and Neil Mellor.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Ronald Araujo poses at AXA Training Centre on August 10, 2026 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo will wear the No.33 shirt at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
There weren’t too many lower numbers available to Araujo, with the No.11 the most high-profile shirt still available following Mohamed Salah’s departure earlier in the summer.
Speaking to the club’s website for the first time, Araujo said: “I can’t wait to get started. I’m very, very happy.
“I’m excited to be here at this massive club with lots of history. I’m excited to meet my teammates, excited to get started playing, and I’m very motivated and really up for getting going.
“I think it was the ideal move for me at this stage in my career. I think it was a move that was necessary for me to take. As soon as I heard that interest from Liverpool, everything went into action really, really quickly.
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“As I say, I’m super-happy to be here and excited to get started. I’m glad about the interest and it was the right move at the right time.”
Araujo will offer cover at both center-back and right-back this season, with Liverpool already short on options in both positions heading into the final week of pre-season.
Joe Gomez is already ruled out of the season opener against Newcastle later this month, while doubts remain over new signing Jeremy Jacquet, although the Frenchman is expected to play a part in the final pre-season friendlies against Como next weekend.
Giovanni Leoni, meanwhile, is continuing to recover after rupturing his ACL last year, while Conor Bradley is still months away from a return, having suffered a serious knee injury in January.