Liverpool are close to completing a loan deal for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo to address the defensive concerns of new head coach Andoni Iraola. The 27-year-old Uruguay international has been targeted as the Reds' only fit senior centre-back is Virgil van Dijk.
Versatile addition
Araujo can also play at right-back, which would help solve two of Iraola's main worries ahead of the new Premier League season. The season-long loan is understood to include an option to buy rather than an obligation. Araujo has recovered from the calf problem that kept him out of Uruguay's recent World Cup campaign.
Defensive injuries
Liverpool have several defensive injury issues. Joe Gomez is out for weeks with a muscle injury from the friendly against Sunderland. New signing Jeremy Jacquet is recovering from a shoulder operation, Giovanni Leoni is still out with an ACL injury from last September, and teenager Ifeanyi Ndukwe is ineligible.
At right-back, Conor Bradley has been sidelined since January with a serious knee injury, and Jeremie Frimpong has had fitness setbacks since joining from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Araujo's Barcelona career
Araujo has spent eight years at Barcelona after joining from Uruguay's Boston River. He has played over 200 times for the Spanish side but has not been first choice recently. He was sent off in the Champions League loss to Chelsea in November and took a break for mental health reasons before returning in January.
Liverpool are also looking at attacking options, but they are far from Paris Saint-Germain's £145 million valuation for Bradley Barcola.
