Hansi Flick can kill £47.3m Liverpool transfer that was looking increasingly certain
There is a possibility that Liverpool could end up missing out on the permanent signing of Ronald Araujo.
Graeme Bailey at TEAMtalk now reports that Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick’s personal view of whether or not the Uruguayan has a future in Catalonia will hold the greatest sway over what happens after the centre-back’s loan spell on Merseyside.
The 27-year-old has already formed a key part of Andoni Iraola’s backline at Anfield, featuring in every game this season (playing 465 minutes of 630 available).
Hansi Flick has the power to decide Ronald Araujo’s Liverpool future
Despite reports coming out of Spain indicating that Liverpool chiefs could ‘seriously consider’ exercising Araujo’s €55m (£47.3m) purchase option, it would seem that Barcelona still holds the winning hand.
The defender, according to Bailey’s information, “does not currently regard his Barcelona career as finished”. More to the point, the footballer will, apparently, only leave the La Liga giants if it becomes clear that Flick doesn’t have a place for him back at Camp Nou.
On current form, and presuming Ronald Araujo can maintain his performance levels at Liverpool across the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign, you could be forgiven for imagining that his old boss would be happy to roll out the red carpet for the former Barca skipper.
But it’s not quite as simple as that.
Barcelona are flush with centre-backs
Between Pau Cubarsi (19), Gerard Martin (24), Eric Garcia (25), and Andreas Christensen (30), Barcelona are technically flush with centre-halves. And don’t forget either that Jules Kounde (27) can also be relied upon in the position.
Yet, some reports suggest that Barcelona are keeping a close eye on the market and would like to add another senior centre-back to their ranks to partner Cubarsi in the heart of the backline. Sporting director Deco is, allegedly, torn between backing another young option for the club to develop and a seasoned pro who can slot in and immediately deliver.
In the latter case, you’d have to think that the Spanish outfit would surely consider letting Ronald Araujo return to the fold; a move that would allow the club to divert resources elsewhere.
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But the Uruguay international has a difficult recent history with the reigning La Liga champions. He was subjected to vitriolic online abuse following his role in Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League back in November last year, a quickly deteriorating situation that led to the veteran defender requesting an indefinite leave of absence in December. Fast forward to his return to the squad and Araujo found himself suddenly down the pecking order, with youngster Pau Cubarsi having made a strong impression on Hansi Flick.
You couldn’t blame the Barca boss for feeling like the team has simply moved on from Ronald Araujo, even if he continues his superb vein of form for Liverpool.
At the very least, that’s what decision-makers at Anfield may need to hope for, if we’re to make the versatile defender’s stay at L4 permanent.
