Liverpool are on the verge of securing a season-long loan deal for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo to bolster their defensive options ahead of the new Premier League campaign. The 27-year-old Uruguayan is expected to undergo a medical this weekend before the move is finalized, which is reported to include an option to buy but no obligation.

The loan comes as Liverpool face a significant injury crisis in defense. Captain Virgil van Dijk remains the only fully fit senior centre-back, with Joe Gomez sidelined for several weeks due to a muscle injury. New signing Jeremy Jacquet has yet to feature as he recovers from a shoulder operation, while Giovanni Leoni continues to rehabilitate from an ACL injury sustained last September. Additionally, teenager Ifeanyi Ndukwe is currently ineligible to play. At right-back, Conor Bradley has been out since January following a serious knee injury, and Jeremie Frimpong has struggled with various fitness setbacks since joining from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

Araujo, who has spent eight years at Barcelona and made over 200 appearances for the club, has not been a consistent first-choice player in recent seasons. His versatility, however, is seen as valuable for Liverpool, as he can cover both centre-back and right-back positions.

The defender’s career has recently been marked by personal challenges. In December 2025, Barcelona granted him indefinite leave, and two months later Araujo publicly disclosed that he had been living with depression for 18 months. Following his return, he participated in the team’s Spanish Super Cup victory over Real Madrid in January 2026.

Alongside defensive reinforcements, Liverpool continue to pursue attacking additions ahead of their season opener at Newcastle United on August 23. However, their efforts to acquire Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola have so far been hampered by the French club’s £145 million valuation, which remains beyond Liverpool’s current offer.

As the transfer window progresses, Liverpool’s acquisition of Araujo aims to provide much-needed depth and experience in a defensive unit facing multiple fitness challenges.