Liverpool have strengthened their depleted defence with the season-long loan signing of Ronald Araújo from Barcelona.
The deal includes an option to make the move permanent for around €55m (£47m).
At 27, Araújo arrives with considerable experience. He made 213 appearances for Barcelona, featured 35 times in the Champions League and won three La Liga titles. He also captained the Catalan giants last season.
But what does his arrival mean for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers? Here, we assess the Uruguayan’s qualities, route into Andoni Iraola’s starting XI and potential for points.
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WHY HAVE LIVERPOOL SIGNED ARAÚJO?
Liverpool’s need for another defender has grown significantly during pre-season.
Ibrahima Konaté left for Real Madrid this summer, while Joe Gomez (£5.0m), Giovanni Leoni (£4.0m) and new signing Jérémy Jacquet (£5.0m) have all been dealing with injuries.
That has left Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) as Liverpool’s only fully-fit senior centre-back.
There are issues elsewhere, too. Conor Bradley (£5.0m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£5.5m) have both had fitness concerns, making Araújo’s ability to operate at centre-back or right-back particularly useful.
Liverpool haven’t committed to a permanent transfer just yet. Instead, the loan gives manager Andoni Iraola an experienced option while the club waits for several younger defenders to return. If Araújo impresses, Liverpool then have the option to make the move permanent next summer.
WHAT TYPE OF DEFENDER IS ARAÚJO?
“No doubt at all: I think my attributes will suit this league down to the ground. I think the style of play in the English league should be perfect for my qualities as a player. It’s a league I’ve wanted to play in for a long time. It’s very, very competitive and some say – and why not? – it’s the best league in the world. So, I’m full of excitement, I’m full of hope, really wanting to get started, for sure.” – Ronald Araujo
Physicality ranks among Araújo’s biggest strengths.
The Uruguay international combines an imposing frame with some decent recovery pace, which previously allowed Barcelona to use him in a high defensive line. His pace has also helped him operate at right-back when required.
His aerial numbers stand out, too. No Barcelona player contested more aerial duels per 90 minutes in La Liga last season than Araújo’s 4.92. His 3.31 successful aerial duels per 90 also ranked first among his teammates.
His experience also contrasts with some of Liverpool’s other centre-back options. Araújo has played more than 200 times for Barcelona and twice made the La Liga Team of the Season.
WHERE DOES ARAÚJO FIT AT LIVERPOOL?
The immediate injury situation could hand Araújo an early opportunity.
Van Dijk remains Liverpool’s senior figure at centre-back but there is far more uncertainty over who partners him.
Jacquet hasn’t featured during pre-season after undergoing shoulder surgery, while Leoni continues his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Gomez is also expected to miss the beginning of the campaign with a muscular problem.
Longer term, the picture becomes less straightforward.
Liverpool invested heavily in Jacquet and clearly see the 21-year-old as an important part of their future. Leoni is another young option who should eventually return to contention.
That makes Araújo’s minutes something FPL managers will need to monitor as Liverpool’s injured defenders return.
His versatility could help. The 27-year-old has experience at right-back and therefore gives Iraola another option if Bradley and Frimpong continue to have fitness problems.
CURRENT FITNESS
There is another element of uncertainty surrounding Araújo: his recent playing time.
He made 38 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona last season but started only 11 times in La Liga.
Araújo also spent a period away from football before returning to action in January. He went on to make 23 appearances during the second half of the campaign, starting six.
But match fitness should at least be less of an immediate concern heading into his Liverpool career. Unlike several of his new teammates, Araújo has taken part in Barcelona’s pre-season programme.
“I’ve been in pre-season training with Barcelona and, to be fair, that’s been a decent pace and rhythm. I think I’ll be ready to make a start.” – Ronald Araujo
With Liverpool’s Premier League opener approaching, any involvement in their remaining friendly will therefore be worth monitoring.
ARAÚJO’S INJURY RECORD
Before assessing Araújo’s potential for minutes at Liverpool, his recent availability also warrants a closer look.
| Season | Injury/absence | From | Until | Days | Games missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/26 | Muscle injury | 12/06/2026 | 25/06/2026 | 14 | 2 |
| 25/26 | Depression | 02/12/2025 | 04/01/2026 | 34 | 7 |
| 25/26 | Stomach problems | 26/11/2025 | 01/12/2025 | 6 | 1 |
| 24/25 | Knee problems | 16/05/2025 | 20/05/2025 | 5 | 1 |
| 24/25 | Ankle sprain | 10/02/2025 | 17/02/2025 | 8 | – |
| 24/25 | Hamstring injury | 15/07/2024 | 08/12/2024 | 147 | 29 |
| 23/24 | Knee problems | 15/05/2024 | 18/05/2024 | 4 | 1 |
| 23/24 | Muscle injury | 17/08/2023 | 22/09/2023 | 37 | 7 |
| 22/23 | Calf injury | 15/05/2023 | 15/06/2023 | 32 | 5 |
| 22/23 | Adductor injury | 20/03/2023 | 30/03/2023 | 11 | 2 |
| 22/23 | Adductor tear | 26/09/2022 | 04/12/2022 | 70 | 16 |
| 21/22 | Concussion | 09/05/2022 | 19/05/2022 | 11 | 1 |
| 21/22 | Calf injury | 14/02/2022 | 21/02/2022 | 8 | 1 |
| 21/22 | Hand injury | 06/01/2022 | 13/01/2022 | 8 | 1 |
| 21/22 | Hamstring injury | 11/10/2021 | 01/11/2021 | 22 | 6 |
Araújo’s injury record certainly raises some concerns.
The defender has endured numerous spells on the sidelines across the last five seasons, with muscle problems among the recurring issues. His most significant absence came in 2024/25, when a hamstring injury kept him out for 147 days and saw him miss 29 matches.
There are some positives. His most recent physical setback, a muscle injury in June, kept him out for only 14 days. He has also completed pre-season training with Barcelona and believes he is ready to feature for Liverpool.
Still, from an FPL perspective, the overall history is difficult to ignore. Even if Araújo establishes himself in Iraola’s first-choice defence, his availability record adds another layer of risk to his appeal.
LIVERPOOL’S CLEAN-SHEET POTENTIAL
Before considering Araújo as an FPL option, we first need to establish the clean-sheet potential of the defence he is joining.
While Liverpool weren’t among the Premier League’s worst defences last season, their clean-sheet record wasn’t particularly convincing either.
The Reds managed just 10 shutouts from 38 matches, with six other sides recording more across the campaign. That becomes even more significant from an FPL perspective, as several defenders from those stronger backlines are available at cheaper price points.
Their underlying defensive data paints a slightly more encouraging picture.
While Liverpool ranked around mid-table for both goals and big chances conceded, they ended the campaign with the third-best expected goals conceded (xGC) tally in the division. That suggests their total of just 10 clean sheets may not fully reflect the quality of the chances they allowed.
And, of course, there’s a new manager at them. Iraola managed to outdo his new club for clean sheets while at Bournemouth last season (11), which hopefully bodes well.
STARTING FIXTURES
Liverpool’s opening schedule could have just as much influence on Fantasy decisions.
Iraola’s men sit around mid-table on our overall Fixture Ticker, but Liverpool’s prospects improve when we switch to our brand-new clean-sheet projection filter.
The Reds have more than a 30% chance of keeping a clean sheet in three of their opening four matches. That ranks them fourth-best overall on our ticker and adds further encouragement to the underlying defensive numbers highlighted above.
DEFCON POTENTIAL
Araújo’s DefCon potential looks fairly limited based on his recent numbers.
Across his last 30 starts at centre-back over the previous three seasons, he averaged 5.4 defensive contributions per start. He reached the 10-point threshold in just 10% of those matches.
His 2025/26 figures tell a similar story. Araújo averaged 6.19 DefCons per 90 in La Liga, although that increased to a much more encouraging 8.96 per 90 in the Champions League.
There is some important context to consider, though. Araújo produced those numbers while playing for Barcelona, a side that regularly dominates possession and therefore tends to give their defenders fewer opportunities to rack up tackles, interceptions, blocks and clearances.
A move to the Premier League, and a Liverpool side operating under a new head coach, could therefore change the amount of defensive work he has to do.
Remember, centre-halves thrived under Iraola on the DefCon front last season:
Above: Defenders with the best DefCon success rate per appearance in 2025/26
DOES HE OFFER ATTACKING THREAT?
Araújo could perhaps offer more potential at the other end of the pitch, particularly from set plays.
Liverpool were among the Premier League’s strongest sides for set-piece goals last season, scoring 18, while only one side took more corners. That could suit a player with Araújo’s aerial presence.
The 6ft 4in centre-back scored 14 goals in 213 appearances for Barcelona, showing that he can provide some threat in the opposition box.
Above image from Fotmob: Araujo scored three La Liga goals in 2025/26 despite limited game-time
THE VERDICT
Introducing our 🆕 no.33 👊 pic.twitter.com/T46iSceRLu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 10, 2026
There are enough positives to make Ronald Araújo an interesting FPL prospect, but there are also several significant concerns.
The opening five fixtures are good, for starters.
Araújo also carries some attacking threat. Liverpool ranked second for corners taken last season and were among the leading sides for set-piece goals. His aerial ability could therefore be useful at both ends of the pitch.
However, his defensive contribution potential is less convincing. The aforementioned numbers could increase in the more physical Premier League, particularly after leaving a dominant Barcelona side, but he needs a big, Iraola-sized shot in the arm on that front.
There are bigger concerns around minutes, too. Jeremy Jacquet appears likely to be viewed as a long-term starter once fully fit, while Araújo’s injury record is difficult to ignore.
He could be a worthwhile short-term option if a) his positional rivals remain sidelined for the final pre-season friendlies and b) he’s kindly priced (£5.0m would entice), but there are arguably more convincing mid-price defenders out there at present.
