Fabrizio Romano, Ronald Araujo, Rodri
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Fabrizio Romano delivers a major Liverpool transfer bombshell involving Ronald Araujo, while revealing the latest on Rodri, Cristian Romero, Carlos Baleba and Lewis Hall.
Ronald Araujo to Liverpool: Here we go
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a huge move, with Liverpool reaching an agreement to sign Ronald Araujo from Barcelona.
“Ronald Araujo is going to join Liverpool. Here we go. It's an agreement done and completed between all parties involved,” Romano confirmed on YouTube.
“Liverpool were tracking Ronald Araujo obviously for some time. He was already on the list for a few transfer windows, but he was not available on the market from Barcelona.
“Then Liverpool decided they wanted a centre-back more than right-back at the moment. I can't say that Liverpool will not sign a right-back in the final weeks of the transfer window, but the focus was centre-back. They wanted to sort the centre-back position.
“And now the centre-back is here because it's a done deal. Ronald Araujo, shocking news from Barcelona to Liverpool. It's a here we go.”
How Liverpool's Araujo deal will work
The agreement is structured as a loan, but Liverpool have taken on a major financial commitment and secured an option to make the transfer permanent.
“My understanding is that Araujo joins on loan from Barcelona,” Romano said.
“Liverpool will pay the whole salary of Ronald Araujo and it's around €11 million net. So a big salary for Ronald Araujo, and it's going to be paid in full by Liverpool Football Club.
“This was the condition decided by Deco. The Barcelona director made clear Araujo can leave on loan also because Araujo wanted to have some guarantees about game time. He wants to play. He needs to play and he wants to play.
“Deco said, if you want to go, you can go, but it has to be a permanent transfer or, if it's a loan, it has to be with the salary fully covered.
“Liverpool will pay the full salary, but also get a buy option clause, so it's not a straight loan. It's a loan with a buy option clause, not mandatory.
“So if Araujo is performing at the end of the season, Liverpool can keep the player on a permanent transfer. Otherwise, he will go back to Barcelona.”
Araujo exit starts Rodri domino
Araujo's departure will also provide Barcelona with significant relief on their wage bill, while their pursuit of Rodri remains firmly alive.
“What does it mean for Barcelona? Saving a big salary because, obviously, if you calculate the gross salary of Ronald Araujo for Barcelona, this is a crucial deal,” Romano added.
“They are taking away a big amount of money from their salary bill, and now they remain in active talks for Rodri.
“I told you in the last video, let's not be negative about Rodri and Barcelona just because the first bid was rejected. It's typical in football. The first bid many times gets rejected when it's a big negotiation for a big player between two big clubs. It's very normal.
“Now, Barcelona, after offering €45 million plus €5 million, which was rejected by Man City, will be back with a new proposal.
“It's a direct relationship. It's a direct negotiation. It's not a traditional negotiation. It's a different way to have this kind of conversation.
“And now for Barcelona, the negotiation, the discussion for Rodri remains absolutely, absolutely underway. So deal on, deal being discussed.
“And now Rodri with Barcelona remains a deal expected to happen. All parties involved, the player and the two clubs, expect the deal to happen.
“Obviously, Man City want to be happy with the fee, and so negotiations are still needed, but all parties expect this one to happen.
“So we have to wait and see the numbers for the next bid to follow the negotiation, but the expectation remains positive on this one.”
Barcelona could now enter Cristian Romero race
With Araujo leaving, Barcelona must decide whether to return to the defender market, potentially opening the door for Cristian Romero, who is also being targeted by Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.
“What does it mean for Barcelona also to lose Araujo? One defender less. Now Barcelona will have to make a decision whether they want to re-enter into the defender's market or not,” Romano said.
“So this is going to be crucial. We have to understand if Barca want to enter the market or not.
“One of the defenders who's always been under consideration at Barcelona but never a priority because they had all the defender slots already full was Cuti Romero.
“What's the situation with Cuti Romero? Inter at the moment are far away. For Inter it's a very complicated deal because of several reasons, also because Inter are not selling players and so at the moment they cannot proceed.
“Atletico Madrid are preparing a new official bid to Tottenham. They already sent a bid to Spurs and they are preparing a second proposal.
“But Atletico Madrid, at the moment, still don't have any agreement closed with Cuti Romero. They are talking with Cuti Romero. They are talking with the agent, but still no agreement closed.
“So now, if Barcelona want to enter in the Cuti Romero race, they still have space. They still have the possibility.
“But this will depend on Barca. Now, Cuti Romero is in negotiations with Atletico Madrid as a priority. So this one will depend on Barca, whether they want to enter or not.”
Man Utd hit Carlos Baleba transfer complication
Romano continued by looking at Manchester United’s midfield situation – something that has become increasingly complicated as Brighton’s Carlos Baleba has sustained an injury.
“Man United at the moment are not proceeding with the Carlos Baleba deal,” Romano explained.
“The injury is not a six or seven-month injury, so it's not a super-long one, but it's still an injury.
“And at the moment for Manchester United, this could be a point, this could be eventually an issue, a problem for the Carlos Baleba deal.
“So at the moment, we have to consider that one as more complicated.
“The player has been pushing like crazy in summer 2025 and again this summer, 2026, to go to Manchester United. But now this injury is obviously not helping.
“Let's see what Man United will decide on Baleba and on the other candidates for midfield in the next days.”
Newcastle send clear Lewis Hall message to Man Utd
Man Utd have also been interested in Lewis Hall, but Newcastle have made their position on the defender's future very clear.
“Then, talking about Manchester United, Newcastle made clear after a new round of conversations with Lewis Hall's agents and with the new coach, Matthias Jaissle, that they want to keep Lewis Hall,” Romano said.
“Newcastle want to continue with Lewis Hall. They want him to be part of the project. They want him to stay.
“They already made big money with Bruno, with Tonali, with Gordon. So Newcastle want the player to stay.
“Man United wanted Lewis Hall. He's been on the list for some time, so for sure he's a target.
“But the answer coming from Newcastle is: we want the player to stay.
“So this is the status of the story as of today.”
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