Liverpool have signed defender, Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona with an option to buy next summer.
Araujo’s loan move came after he failed to start in 22 of his 38 total appearances last season for Barcelona, during which he managed four goals across the whole campaign.
Barcelona manager, Hansi Flick consequently sanctioned the 27-year-old’s season-long loan move in order to give him maximum playing time possible, with Liverpool able to sign him next summer if they wish to for a £47.1m fee in the event that his loan is successful.
“I can’t wait to get started. I’m very, very happy,” explained Araujo to Liverpoolfc.com as he spoke of his excitement to get life on Merseyside underway.
“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.
“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 began his career with Uruguay’s Hurcan de Rivera then Rentistas where he graduated into the first-team squad with seven goals in 17 appearances, which led to a move to Boston River in July 2017 where he made 31 appearances before Barcelona signed him 13 months later.
At Barcelona, he spent the 2018-19 & 19-20 seasons with their B-team across which he registered six goals in 44 appearances, and made six first-team appearances in the latter season before he was fully promoted to the main squad for the 2020-21 season.
He subsequently went on to score 14 goals in 213 appearances and contributed to three La Liga and Supercopa de Espana titles apiece, alongside two Copa del Rey titles – of which the first of those two cup titles came at the end of his first full season in the first team.
At international level, Araujo represents Uruguay with one goal in 27 senior caps although he missed this summer’s FIFA World Cup due to a calf injury despite having been called up to the final squad selection.
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