The deal has been primarily for Liverpool Football Club over the past few months, with three key players from Arne Slot finishing their contracts at the end of the season.
Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah all regularly start this campaign, but all current three-star deals are set to expire in June.
But there were progress in the Dutch and Egyptians. Both pairs are set to sign the New Deal until the summer of 2027.
As for Torrent, he appears to be leaving for Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the season, ending his 20-year affiliation with the club in his youth, ending a disappointment with the fanbase.
While such a departure could leave a big hole in the backline of the first team, the hierarchy doesn’t seem to waste time landing players who could potentially fill the next campaign.
Liverpool is set to place a £85 million bid for the defensive star
According to one Spanish outlet, Liverpool is set to place a summer bid of 100 million euros (£85 million) on Barcelona star Ronald Araujo to strengthen its defence sector.
The 26-year-old made 16 appearances in all competitions, combining four goals and assists to showcase in the role of centre-back or right-back.
Uruguayan International received an injured campaign, but was still impressive, as seen in the Reds’ willingness to spread out big money for his signature.
The report argues that while the opportunity to play on the UK’s top flights is too good, whether they want to break up with Araujo will reach Lariga’s outfit.
It could be a big investment from the hierarchy, but it will be worth it for the slot side – especially if his numbers in the current campaign are anything good.
Why Araujo is the perfect Van Dyke & Trent Hybrid for Liverpool
The Reds’ backline is important for slots this summer as they require a pending departure from Trent and investments with Andy Robertson down in recent months.
Van Dyke has often been the shining light within the back four over the past few years, and his performance has helped him win five major honors since his move in January 2018.
But he often lacks a partner at the heart of his defense, and as we saw in his defeat against Fulham last weekend, Ibrahima Conete is prone to making mistakes.
Araujo is able to offer world-class options for the peers the club is looking for, and current boss Hansiflik has labelled Uruguay International as “one of the best in the world.”
When Torrent takes his leave, it could be an option he covers.
Defensively, Araujo is better than the current Red Star, winning tackles around 90, but still more on the top in the air.
How Araujo compares Alexander Arnold and Van Dick in 2024/25 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90) | Araujo | Torrent | van dijk |
The game has been played | 16 | 28 | 31 |
Goals and Assistance | 4 | 8 | 2 |
Accuracy | 93% | 74% | 92% |
The tackle won | 1.3 | 1 | 0.5 |
The air won | 3.9 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
Shot-on target accuracy | 67% | 18% | 32% |
Passes completed for each game | 90 | 63 | 74 |
Statistics via FBREF | |||
Owning him, he’s equally impressive, increasing the number of passes he attempted, but also achieving higher target-on accuracy speeds.
It might be another big fee to spend on a new signature, but it can provide additional quality to the backline, further enhancing the chances of slots winning trophies at Merseyside.
It is unclear whether Barca is open to selling one of his key players, but it is clear from the statistics he produced in 2024/25 that he will be a great addition.
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