Araujo makes 'ideal move' to Liverpool

Liverpool has signed Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo from Spanish champion Barcelona on a season-long loan, the Premier League club announced on Monday, as it moved to strengthen its injury-ravaged defense.

British media reported that the deal includes an option to buy the 27-year-old for about 47 million pounds ($63.48 million).

Araujo arrives at a time when Liverpool is facing mounting defensive problems.

Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury in the club's opening preseason match, while teenage center-back Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury picked up at the start of last season.

Young center-back Jeremy Jacquet is also nursing an injury, leaving captain Virgil van Dijk, 35, as Liverpool's only fully fit senior central defender.

"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," Araujo said in a statement.

"As soon as I heard that (there was) interest from Liverpool, everything went into action really, really quickly."

The club's options at right-back have also been depleted. Conor Bradley is still recovering from a significant knee injury, while Jeremie Frimpong endured an injury-hit campaign last season and struggled for form.

Capable of playing both at center-back and right-back, Araujo provides Liverpool with much-needed cover in two areas where it is currently short of options.

Right place, right time

Araujo joined Barcelona B from Uruguayan side Boston River in 2018 and made his senior debut the following year. He has since won three La Liga titles, including back-to-back championships in 2024-25 and 2025-26, as well as two Copa del Rey trophies and three Spanish Super Cup titles.

Araujo was named in the La Liga Team of the Season in 2021-22 and 2023-24. However, he found opportunities harder to come by last season, making only 11 league starts as Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin established themselves as Hansi Flick's preferred central defensive pairing.

One of Barca's captains, Araujo also saw his involvement reduced after taking an indefinite leave of absence from the club at his request.

"I'm super happy to be here," he said of his arrival at Anfield. "And I'm excited to get started. I'm glad about the interest and it was the right move at the right time," Araujo added.

He remains under contract with Barca until 2031.

Liverpool has also signed Jacquet and forward Victor Munoz during the summer, but has seen the departure Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate. Forward Hugo Ekitike is another player sidelined through injury.

Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League last season, despite spending about 446 million pounds on signings. The club subsequently parted ways with manager Arne Slot and appointed former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola in a bid to revive its fortunes.

Liverpool opens its Premier League campaign at Newcastle United on Aug 23.

PSG's Torres offer rejected

Barcelona on Monday rejected an initial offer from Paris Saint-Germain, estimated at 40 million euros ($46.2 million), for Spanish World Cup winner Ferran Torres, a source within the Catalan club told reporters.

"Negotiations are ongoing" between Barca and PSG, the same source added, confirming reports from sports daily Mundo Deportivo.

According to Spanish media reports, Torres, scorer of the winning goal in the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina to give La Roja its second world title, has agreed to join PSG and his former national team coach Luis Enrique.

Out of contract with Barca in June 2027, the 26-year-old forward remained vague about his future in recent interviews during a summer promotional tour of the United States.

"I have a contract with Barcelona, but in football you never know. I'm just waiting to make the right decision," he said.

When asked if he had a "dream" destination in mind, Torres answered that he did, without revealing it.

"I just want to be happy," he replied.

Torres, who signed in 2021 from Manchester City for more than 55 million euros, has been mostly used as a center-forward since Flick took over as Barca coach in 2024, backing up Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who departed the Catalan club to join Major League Soccer outfit Chicago Fire last month.

Often decisive as a substitute, Torres, who came through Valencia's youth system, has scored 40 goals in 94 matches in all competitions over the last two seasons.