Liverpool Confirms Araujo, PSG Demands €150 Million
The Reds have brought in the Uruguayan center-back on loan with a €55 million buy option, while also getting the green light from a young French forward. Now the ball is in Anfield's court.
The Reds have brought in the Uruguayan center-back on loan with a €55 million buy option, while also getting the green light from a young French forward. Now the ball is in Anfield's court.
Liverpool has been extremely active in the final days of the summer transfer window. On one hand, the arrival of experienced center-back Ronald Araujo from Barcelona has already been completed, while on the other, they are working intensively on bringing in Bradley Barcola, the young star of Paris Saint-Germain, for whom they will need to shell out a hefty sum.
The English club has officially confirmed the arrival of the 27-year-old Uruguayan on a one-year loan. The deal includes an option to buy at the end of the season for approximately £47.14 million (€55 million). Liverpool will not pay a loan fee but will cover Araujo's wages in full, and it is known that the player himself agreed to a pay cut to facilitate the transfer. According to reports, his annual salary is €16 million, which will now be entirely borne by the English club.
The transfer was exclusively confirmed by renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano on social media platform X, posting: "Ronald Araujo has signed his transfer contracts to join Liverpool.. Here we go." Araujo traveled to Liverpool on Sunday and successfully completed his medical, clearing the way for the official announcement. The final agreement between Barcelona and Liverpool was reached on Friday, with the key trigger being a conversation with coach Hansi Flick. The German tactician made it clear to the Uruguayan last Tuesday that he does not count on him as a regular starter in the new season and that, if he wants regular playing time, he should find a club that can offer it. Araujo did not hesitate and quickly accepted Andoni Iraola's project at Liverpool, a team facing a genuine defensive crisis.
Coach Andoni Iraola has received a much-needed boost at the heart of his defense. The departure of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid as a free agent and injuries to other defenders have left the team with captain Virgil van Dijk as the only fully fit senior center-back. Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury in the first preseason match, while young Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from a torn ACL and lacks experience. There is also 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet, who arrived from Rennes but has yet to feature in preseason after shoulder surgery and has fewer than 100 senior appearances in his career. The club wanted another experienced center-back, and Araujo emerged as a very attractive option—strong in duels, good in the air, quick for a center-back, and capable of covering two defensive positions. That was exactly the profile Liverpool was looking for.
Araujo did not hide his excitement after the transfer was finalized. "I think this was the ideal move for me at this stage of my career. I believe it was the move I needed. As soon as I heard about Liverpool's interest, everything happened very, very quickly," the Uruguayan said in his first address after signing. His ability to play as a central defender and as a right-back gives coach Iraola additional tactical options.
Araujo moved to Barcelona from his native Uruguay in 2018 and made his debut in October 2019. Since then, he has made over 200 appearances for the Catalan club. Last season was turbulent for him: in November 2025, he took a longer break from football due to depression, which he later spoke publicly about. Despite that, in January 2026, after the departure of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he was named one of the club's captains. However, he made only 11 appearances in last season's La Liga. After returning for preseason and speaking with Flick, it became clear that the coach could not guarantee him more playing time, prompting the Uruguayan to accept a temporary departure and seek continuity elsewhere. His representatives arrived in Barcelona on Friday, and the deal was completed in just a few hours.
In total, he has played 213 matches for Barcelona, winning three Spanish league titles and two Copa del Rey trophies. His contract with the Catalan club runs until 2031, making the option to buy a particularly important part of the agreement with Liverpool, but this loan does not necessarily mean the definitive end of his career at Barça. Additionally, the Uruguayan missed the World Cup last season due to a muscle injury, which further limited his playing time at the end of the season.
At the same time, Liverpool is working on an even bigger deal. As reported by N1 BiH, citing Fabrizio Romano, French winger Bradley Barcola has accepted the terms of a multi-year contract offered by the Reds and is ready to move to Anfield.
However, reaching an agreement with the player is just the first step. Paris Saint-Germain has told interested clubs that they will not let their 21-year-old go for less than €150 million. Although at one point it seemed that such a high fee might deter the English champions, sources suggest that Liverpool has not given up. Direct negotiations between the two clubs are expected to continue, and the fate of the transfer depends on Liverpool's willingness to get closer to Paris's demands.
Liverpool sees Barcola as a player for the future, an attacker who should play an important role in the team in the coming years. An eventual fee of €150 million would represent one of the biggest transfers of this window. The first chance for Araujo to play in his new shirt will be on Sunday, August 23, when Liverpool visits Newcastle United with a 4:30 PM kickoff.
