Liverpool open talks for £26m Barcelona star

Liverpool are heading for more change at centre-back this summer.

Ahead of last season we saw Giovanni Leoni brought in from Parma for £26m. At the end of the 2025/26 campaign Jeremy Jacquet will arrive in a deal worth up to £62m from Rennes.

Richard Hughes has secured deals for two highly rated young defenders but there remains the possibility that the Premier League champions will be losing experience from the position very soon.

Ibrahima Konate looks set to leave the club on a free transfer - with his current contract expiring in summer 2026. And in 2027 Virgil van Dijk as well as Joe Gomez are expected to depart when their respective contracts expire.

One solution could be to add an experienced defender in the summer transfer window who can go straight into Arne Slot’s XI. Nico Schlotterbeck and Murillo are among the names listed - and Ronald Araujo from Barcelona is now on the radar.

Liverpool enquire for Ronald Araujo

Liverpool have made preliminary enquiries over the Uruguayan - according to a report in Fichajes - but are currently behind Inter Milan in the chase for the 27-year-old.

“FC Barcelona's board appears ready to overhaul their back line and would listen to offers close to €30 million for the center-back. “Liverpool have made preliminary inquiries,” the report reads.

Ronald Araujo: Situation summary

Ronald Araujo’s status at Barcelona has shifted from automatic starter to important rotation option, used at centre-back and occasionally right-back rather than being an undisputed first-choice pick.

He remains highly regarded in the dressing room and part of the leadership group but, when everyone is fit, he is no longer considered completely indispensable to the starting XI.

Araujo’s 2025 was turbulent, including a costly red card against Chelsea and a subsequent leave of absence to address mental health, which also affected his continuity and rhythm in the side.

Contractually, he signed a long-term extension in early 2025 that runs until 2031, reinforcing the club’s public stance that he is a core asset and protecting his market value with a very high release clause.

At the same time, Barcelona’s financial pressures and squad-planning needs mean he is still viewed internally as one of the few players who could command a major fee if a top club comes calling.

Several elite sides have monitored his situation, and while Araujo has consistently expressed a desire to stay, there is a realistic possibility Barcelona listen to substantial offers in the summer.

Analysis

It’s not the first time Araujo has been linked with a transfer to Liverpool and his current squad status at Barcelona makes him a candidate to arrive.

Liverpool need a ready-made option at centre-back - especially if Ibrahima Konate leaves.

Arne Slot has been affected by the inability to land Marc Guehi - with the Anfield club only having three senior central defenders all season long.

Adding Araujo would allow the other new recruits the opportunity to bed in without being exposed in every match.

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