Ronald Araujo’s Champions League opener for Liverpool has fed into a bigger story about where the 27-year-old Uruguayan goes next. Reports circulating on Friday suggest Araujo, on a season-long loan from Barcelona, is already open to making the move permanent, with Liverpool holding an option to sign him outright for around €55m at the end of the season.
The 27-year-old was voted Liverpool’s Carlsberg Player of the Match on Wednesday, filling in at right-back in the 2-1 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield. Deployed away from his natural centre-back slot, he produced the flicked assist that let Dominik Szoboszlai equalise after Atletico had gone ahead, before Alexis Mac Allister completed the turnaround.
Iraola: ‘I hope we can keep him’
Head coach Andoni Iraola, in his first Champions League match in charge of Liverpool, made no attempt to hide his satisfaction.
“He has done very well. Very well. The other day against Ipswich Town and now today even better,” Iraola said after the match.
Read also: Trump wants a new name for the NFL. The league is not listening.
“He is defending his side of the pitch very well, and sometimes maybe we underestimate his attacking. Today he provided a great assist.”
“He has come here wanting to show he is at this level, so I hope we can keep him there because he’s in a lovely place.”
Araujo pushed for the loan
Araujo joined Liverpool on loan for the 2026-27 season on 10 August, having made 213 appearances for Barcelona since 2018 and won three La Liga titles with the club. Liverpool’s deal came with the option, but not the obligation, to buy at the end of the season.
Reporting from The Athletic, carried by Yahoo Sports, says Araujo hired an English tutor for extra lessons and accepted a pay cut to push the loan through, arriving at Anfield “energised by a change of scenery and a fresh challenge”.
Read also: Crawford is retired. Dana White thinks the right offer changes that.
Speaking to Spanish broadcaster Movistar after the Atletico win, Araujo echoed the sentiment.
“Liverpool is a big club like Barcelona. I am happy, I’m working hard as you can see also on the pitch.”
“I am happy here and hungry for more.”
The €55m option
The reports of Araujo leaning towards a permanent stay, first pushed by the Daily Mail and picked up by Spanish outlet SPORT, remain unconfirmed by either club. A permanent move would require Liverpool to activate their option, which in sterling terms is worth around £47m.
Read also: Doonbeg's €20m Trump weekend: the Irish state pays, his resort profits
Araujo, appointed Barcelona captain earlier in 2026, has started only two matches since arriving on Merseyside. Liverpool must trigger the option before the end of the 2026-27 season for the move to become permanent.
