Hansi Flick called it a “shame” that Ronald Araújo won’t be a Barcelona player this season, effectively confirming reports that a loan move to Liverpool is imminent.
Camp Nou teammate Fermín López also said: “I hope he comes back next year.”
Araújo missed several months of Flick’s first year as Barcelona manager with a hamstring injury and was later afforded a period of mental leave midway through last season. But the Uruguayan was already part of the squad’s leadership group and even became club captain at the start of 2026 when Marc-André ter Stegen joined Girona on loan.
Yet his locker-room role doesn’t match his on-field role and Araújo has found himself primarily a bench player when healthy throughout Flick’s reign. That, combined with Liverpool’s desperate need for a center back, has paved the way for him to head to England.
“He’s a great guy and a fantastic player. But his style of play is different from what I prefer,” Flick explained to reporters, justifying Araújo’s lack of role and the decision to let him leave.
“He’s powerful, fast … it’s a shame. It’s been difficult because I haven’t been able to include him as much as I’d like. He’s been affected by past mistakes. We’ve talked. I saw him doing well, happy, and I wish him all the best,” the coach added.
“Changes are normal in life and in football.”
Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín emerged last season as Flick’s starting center backs. Even with Araújo departing—at least temporarily—he still has Eric García and Andreas Christensen at his disposal. Jules Koundé is known as a right back these days but is another capable cover option.
With no Araújo, it suggests Frenkie de Jong will be promoted to the role of club captain for this season. But with the Dutchman sidelined because of a torn medial knee ligament, it will actually be current third-captain Raphinha who wears the armband for the foreseeable future.
Liverpool’s Center Back Need Underlined by Preseason Struggles
Two weeks before the Premier League season begins, a 35-year-old Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool’s only available first-team center back.
Ibrahima Konaté left when he couldn’t agree a new contract and has since joined Real Madrid, while Joe Gomez and new signing Jérémy Jacquet are both injured. Andoni Iraola said on Sunday after the Anfield defeat to Monaco that the latter “should be fine” when the Reds host Como in a final preseason match next weekend. But it hardly feels enough.
Jacquet missed the final few months of last season with Rennes because of a shoulder injury suffered just days after his pre-arranged Liverpool move was announced. It has been a knee problem sustained in training that has hampered him this summer.
The young Frenchman comes highly rated but some sort of bedding in period is also reasonable to expect, assuming he can also stay healthy once the campaign begins for real.
Van Dijk, in his first outing of preseason following World Cup involvement, was partnered against Monaco by raw teenager Ifeanyi Ndukwe. The 18-year-old Austrian was withdrawn at halftime and replaced by midfielder Wataru Endo. For the second match in a row, Liverpool collapsed, seeing a 2–0 lead evaporate and turn into a humbling defeat.
It’s seven goals conceded across the last two friendly matches alone, with a vibrant attack so far not enough to mask the defensive issues. Araújo’s track record over the last two years will make it tough for him to come in and quickly fix things, though.
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