John Barnes has praised Andoni Iraola for signing Ronald Araujo, admitting the Spaniard's recruitment reminds him of Jurgen Klopp's transfer ideology. The Liverpool boss was in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, with Virgil van Dijk currently the only fit senior centre-back at the club.
Shock Loan Signing
The loan signing of the Barcelona captain came as a shock to the footballing world, given the lack of speculation around the move and the arguable downturn in form Araujo had suffered over the past year.
The Uruguay international took a mental health break from football last December after he was sent off in the first half of a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League. Araujo, 27, subsequently spoke up about the depression he'd been suffering after 18 months of anxiety.
Upon his return to Barcelona in January of this year, he was made club captain but found regular game time hard to come by, managing just 16 league starts as the Spanish giants successfully defended their La Liga crown.
Barnes Backs the Signing
There's been a mixed reaction to Araujo's arrival at Anfield, with some fans questioning whether he'd be able to recapture the form that once made him one of the world's best defenders. However, the lack of fanfare surrounding his signing reminds Reds icon Barnes of the reputation some of Klopp's signings initially had, before going on to become club legends.
When asked whether he believes Araujo is a good signing for Liverpool, the former England winger told the ECHO, via 247Bet: "I do. I think the fact that it may not have worked for him in Barcelona doesn't mean he's not a good player.
"Now, what a manager has to do is look at a player and say that he's not playing because this other team doesn't think he's any good, but the way I want to play, I know that he could play well for me, therefore I'm going to get him. That's what you want your managers to do.
"A lot of managers just make popular signings because you're playing well at this club. I remember before [Roberto] Firmino came to Liverpool, I don't think Arsenal, Man United or Real Madrid wanted him, nobody wanted [Mohamed] Salah or [Sadio] Mane, but when Klopp made those signings, he knew he could fit them into what he wanted. I think it's a shrewd signing."
Iraola's Klopp-Style Approach
It isn't the first time this summer that Iraola has repeated Klopp's approach in the market. The 43-year-old's role in persuading Victor Munoz to join the club instead of Newcastle proved pivotal. According to The Athletic, Iraola had a comprehensive phone conversation with Munoz to detail how he'd utilise his talents at Liverpool.
It's a tactic the German had used just months after being appointed Reds boss in October 2015. Midfielder Marko Grujic was Klopp's first signing of his nine-year reign, having completed a move to Anfield in January 2016 from boyhood club Red Star Belgrade. The Serbian star had suitors from the likes of Chelsea, Inter, AC Milan and Juventus, but chose Liverpool thanks to a phone call with Klopp.
Grujic explained after his signing: "His vision is that I should be something between a No.6 and a No.10, what they call a box-to-box midfielder. My only request was that I didn't want to be loaned out, I just want to play for Liverpool. But he was very open, told me about how he sees my development.
"When a coach like that calls you on the phone personally, that's the greatest privilege. That call really cemented my desire to join Liverpool." The Reds kick off the season against Newcastle on August 23, which could turn out to be Araujo's debut for the club.
Joe Gomez remains out of action, while Giovanni Leoni remains in rehab for his ACL injury. Jeremy Jacquet is expected to play a part in Liverpool's final pre-season friendly against Como on Sunday, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be fit enough to make a full debut at St James' Park.
