Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano and the Catalan Mundo Deportivo report that all parties have already reached a verbal agreement. The paperwork is due to be signed later on Saturday. The loan deal allegedly includes an option to buy next summer, with Liverpool covering Araujo's full salary. His contract at Barcelona still runs until 2031.
Born in Uruguay, Araujo joined Barcelona's second team in 2018, quickly stepped up to the first team and developed into a key player. In recent years, the now 27-year-old even wore the Barca captain's armband at times.
Lately, though, he had lost his regular starting place. In the two Champions League quarter-finals against Atletico Madrid, for example, Araujo came off the bench both times. Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin started instead.
Ronald Araujo was once also linked with Bayern Munich
For some time, Araujo has repeatedly been linked with a move away. During Thomas Tuchel's time at Bayern Munich, the Munich club are also said to have tried to sign him. His now imminent transfer to Liverpool, however, had not been on the radar at all.
Liverpool need to reshape their central defence after Ibrahima Konate's free transfer to Real Madrid this summer. They have already signed a high-class centre-back in Jeremy Jacquet (21) from Stade Rennes for 69 million euros, but after a longer spell out with a shoulder injury he first has to fight his way back. Veteran Virgil van Dijk (35) is under contract until next summer.
