Arne Slot’s Liverpool are reportedly ready to fork out €100 million to sign Barcelona defensive mainstay Ronald Araujo.
According to a report from Fichajes, Liverpool want to reinforce their defence in the summer, and they have their eyes set on Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo. The Reds consider him an ideal fit for their project and would be willing to make an investment of close to €100 million to bring him to Anfield.
Araujo joined the Catalan giants back in 2018. The South American defender got promoted to their first team towards the end of 2020, and he has only gone from strength to strength since. The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the mainstays with his consistent performances over the years.
While the Uruguayan international was an undisputed starter until last season, things have not been that great for him of late. He missed the first half of the season with a hamstring injury and now seems to be behind Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez in the pecking order.
The duo put in impressive performances while Araujo was out injured, and they tend to start ahead of the 26-year-old in important clashes. But that does not reduce the South American centre-back’s importance in the team. He is still considered one of the pillars of Barcelona’s project, and they did hand him a new deal at the start of the year, extending his stay until 2031.
Liverpool to push hard for Araujo’s signature
Despite signing a new long-term deal, Araujo’s future does not look certain as Liverpool could try to prise him away this summer. The Reds want to add more quality to their backline. With Virgil van Dijk’s contract running out and Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain, Arne Slot wants to bring in a world-class centre-back who can be the leader of his defence.
He is a big admirer of Araujo and would love to have him at his disposal. Despite the new deal, the Merseyside club are willing to try their luck with a massive offer close to €100 million to convince Barcelona to sell one of their most important players.
While the Catalan giants have his future tied down, they may still consider letting him go, given the size of the offer and their ongoing financial struggles. A deal of that magnitude could provide a much-needed financial boost, and Barcelona are likely to give serious thought to any such proposal.
