Michael Carrick consoles Bruno Fernandes on the pitch as Diogo Dalot watches on after Manchester United's Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Liverpool had a quieter summer than most supporters had anticipated in 2026, with many feeling the Reds had left themselves short heading into the new season.
While that may yet prove to be the case, outgoing sporting director Richard Hughes still managed to sign off with some impressive new arrivals.
The £123m capture of Bradley Barcola was the headline addition, but although the Frenchman is slowly beginning to find his feet at Liverpool, he has so far easily been eclipsed by Ronald Araujo, who has been a revelation after joining on loan from Barcelona. Araujo was a signing who nobody saw coming, but bringing the Uruguayan to Anfield was a stroke of genius from Hughes.
So good has Araujo been that, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, rival players at Manchester United have been questioning why they were not able to make a signing of similar stature last summer.
Andoni Iraola has the same number of points after 10 games as Arne Slot did last season (18). Have Liverpool improved or still not performing?
Give us your thoughts…
There are clear flaws with Liverpool but I actually think they’re ahead of schedule under Iraola. I expected a slower start
Slot's haul was higher than it should have been last season though, right? Those opening five or so games masked a lot of issues before it caught up with them. Iraola's team look to be building towards something, rather than just getting the rub of the green before a decline!
It took him a while to get going with Bournemouth too tbf. I rememebr his side came to Goodison and thy were the worst id seen in a long time, a few months later they were flying
Man United players impressed by Liverpool’s Ronald Araujo deal
Liverpool have not had much success with loan signings over the years, and that is part of the reason why Araujo’s arrival was greeted in such a lukewarm manner by supporters.
Looking past that, though, the 27-year-old had plenty to offer, and has proven that during his time with the Reds so far. On a low-risk loan deal, Araujo looks like one of the signings of the summer.
United players certainly seem to think so, and after watching their club fail to secure targets in key positions during the summer, Jacobs has claimed that Michael Carrick’s squad were left wondering why there was no equivalent for Araujo available to them.
“Man United players, I was saying this on the last show, even though they were not specifically saying we should have got Ronald Araujo, they were wondering why Liverpool can just go out in the market and get an outstanding leader, an experienced Barcelona player and someone that’s captain of Barcelona, on a loan, really easily, really discreetly. Job done,” Jacobs told The United Stand.
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“Where’s that low-hanging loan of experience? Where’s that signing that’s just going to add to the dressing room, add to the depth, add to the quality, mitigate against injuries?
“If you can’t afford it or can’t get the Lewis Hall’s of this world, where’s that loan, that safe bet, that person where you know you can try before you buy?
“That’s also where, for example, the Ryan Ait-Nouri talks came in around deadline day, but it turned out that Man City only wanted to sell permanently and Manchester United did prefer a loan with an option.”
There is a chance that Liverpool buy Araujo permanently if he can continue his good form throughout the season, but even if they do not, his signing has already been a success and should give the Reds the confidence to do similar deals in the future.
Liverpool have already been linked with Alejandro Balde, Araujo’s former Barcelona teammate, who could be looking for a loan in January, and while United may look to rectify their mistake and sign the Spanish left-back as well, Araujo’s triumph should make Anfield an attractive destination for players looking to emulate him.