Everything Hansi Flick has said about Ronald Araujo after Liverpool deal completed
Liverpool have agreed a sudden deal to sign Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona for the season with an option to buy.
The defender will join the club in the coming days as the Reds look to shore up their backline ahead of the season.
Andoni Iraola has been left with a perilous situation at the back, with the 35-year-old Virgil van Dijk supported by just Jeremy Jacquet, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leon following the departure of Ibrahima Konate.
All three players have suffered from injury issues, with Araujo not entirely free from problems himself.
The 27-year-old has a history littered with injury issues and was particularly affected in the 2024-25 season, making just 25 appearances across all competitions.
The Uruguay international can also cover at right-back, and is seen as a low risk option for Liverpool this summer.
What did Hansi Flick say about Ronald Araujo?
Years ago, Araujo was the next big thing at Barcelona and an integral part of the defence.
The young defender had broken through in 2020 and by the 2021-22 season, was making 43 appearances all competitions.
But the years since have seen Araujo broken down by injuries and pressure, allowing mistakes to creep into his game.
One particularly bad performance came in the 2024-25 Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, in which he had brought off the bench.
The Uruguay international was involved in both of the Italian team's goals with weak pieces of defending, with many demanding his sale.
Hansi Flick defended him, however, and said: "I have spoken to Ronald Araujo. We all made mistakes in Milan.
"That’s life, and in general, we all fail at some point, no matter the profession. We've all been through such situations, and it's important to know how to handle them. That’s why I want to protect Araujo. He is not the only one who made a mistake."
And last summer, the German continued to reiterate his backing of the defender.
"Why should he leave?” Flick said. “There are a lot of rumours, but at the moment I have no signal from him or from any other player. I think we have a really good team, I think the quality in the team now is really good.”
What can Liverpool expect from Araujo?
Araujo made just 11 starts in La Liga last season, often brought off the bench to see out games.
The defender averaged 4.07 recoveries and 1.78 tackles per 90, winning 5.34 duels every game.
He is also a threat inside the opposition box, scoring four goals across all competitions, and the 27-year-old is capable on the ball.
Clearly, Araujo is not expected to pull up any trees at Liverpool, but while the likes of Jacquet and Leoni adapt and recover, he will provide a sensible alternative.