Liverpool on the brink of loan deal for former Barcelona captain

Liverpool are close to agreeing a loan deal for Barcelona ’s Ronald Araujo to give them much-needed reinforcements in defence. The Merseyside club are looking to complete a loan with an option to buy the Uruguay international. The 27-year-old former Barcelona captain is set to become Andoni Iraola ’s second signing at Anfield, after winger Victor Munoz. Ronald Araujo looks set to boost Liverpool’s defensive options (PA) Araujo, primarily a central defender but who can also play right-back, will help give Iraola more strength in depth in both positions. Liverpool are short of fit defenders with right-back Conor Bradley probably out until November and the versatile Joe Gomez being injured in their first match of pre-season . Fellow centre-back Giovanni Leoni has not played since suffering a cruciate ligament injury on his debut against Southampton last September, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet was left out of matches on the pre-season tour of the United States because of concerns about his fitness. Araujo has made 213 appearances for Barcelona but lost his place in the team last season when manager Hansi Flick preferred a centre-back pairing of Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin.