Transfer journalists have revealed that Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo could join either Liverpool or Chelsea in the January transfer window.
Liverpool need defensive reinforcements after summer signing Giovanni Leoni suffered a potentially season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The Reds also missed out on signing Marc Gehi in the summer after Crystal Palace withdrew his contract during the Premier League champions’ medical.
This leaves Liverpool with only Joe Gomez as their main senior back-up option in the event that Ibrahima Konate or Virgil van Dijk are injured or suspended for multiple competitions.
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill also injured his anterior cruciate ligament during pre-season training, but has shared minutes at centre-back this season with Trevor Chalobah, Benoît Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool are hoping to sign a new centre-back in the next few transfer windows, with Barcelona defender Araujo linked with moves from both Premier League sides.
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Now, Football Insider’s transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke has revealed that a deal between Liverpool and Chelsea is unlikely to be completed in the winter window.
“I don’t think Araujo will move in January,” O’Rourke told Football Insider.
“Obviously, Barcelona have ambitions to win La Liga again this season and advance in the Champions League, so you don’t want to weaken the team in the middle of the season.
“It will be interesting to see how Barcelona’s financial situation is. Come next summer, we all know how many problems Barcelona have had in the last few seasons, with player registration and player contracts.
“So something might happen to Araujo if there is an opportunity to exploit them and make a profit, but the player himself seems very happy.
“At Barcelona, he’s in no hurry to leave. His contract runs until 2031. I think there was a release clause in that contract of around £52 million.”
“Again, for such an experienced, top-class defender, (this was) a relatively cheap fee, so I’m sure some clubs will be monitoring the situation.”
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TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graham Bailey has claimed that Liverpool will not be doing Liverpool any favors by bringing back Crystal Palace defender Guehi as he has “come clean”.
Mr Bailey said: “We have been given a blank slate with Guehi. This is a new transfer. Everything that was done, said and bid for is now forgotten.”
“That’s what I’ve been told. Every club that wants Guehi is starting from the same place. This probably shows that Liverpool don’t have as much of an advantage as some people believe, but again, that doesn’t mean he can’t get to Anfield.”
“Guehi has emerged as perhaps one of the most sought-after bossman free transfers in history, and there is no major European club who would not be keen on this.”
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