Liverpool have agreed a season-long loan deal to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo as Andoni Iraola moves to address his shortage of defensive options.
The 27-year-old Uruguay international is set to provide cover at centre-back and right-back, with Liverpool facing a number of injury problems across their defence.
According to The Athletic, Araujo's versatility is particularly valuable to Liverpool, with Conor Bradley expected to miss the opening months of the season with a knee injury. Joe Gomez is also recovering from a muscular problem, while Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined following an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Ibrahima Konate left Liverpool at the end of his contract to join Real Madrid, further reducing Iraola's options. Jeremy Jacquet, meanwhile, has yet to feature in pre-season after a serious shoulder injury and a subsequent minor issue.
The defensive shortage was evident during Liverpool's recent tour of the United States, with teenage defenders Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye featuring heavily. Full-back Luke Chambers was also used in central defence, while Iraola acknowledged that his squad was "thin" in the position.

#season

The news of Ronald Araujo's loan move from FC Barcelona to Liverpool came out of the blue.
The story broke late on Friday night, and the Uruguayan defender will not travel with Barça's squad to the pre-season triangular tournament in Udine, as he prepares to complete his move to the Premier League.
As previously reported, the agreement between Barcelona and Liverpool includes an option to buy at the end of the loan spell if the English giants are satisfied with Araujo's performances.
The value of that clause had not initially been disclosed.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo Liverpool would have to pay €55 million to make the transfer permanent.

#premier

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, with a medical scheduled for Sunday.
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.

#uruguay #sunday #andoni

Ronald Araujo's imminent loan move to Liverpool has reshaped Barcelona's transfer plans almost overnight.
The Uruguayan centre-back has reached a verbal agreement to join the Premier League side on loan for the upcoming season, with the deal also including a purchase option for the Reds.
It is an unexpected departure, and one that has prompted Deco and Barcelona's sporting department to reassess the market in search of a replacement for a position that, until now, had not been considered a priority.
With Araujo heading to Anfield, Cristian Romero has once again emerged as one of Barcelona's leading defensive targets, reports SPORT.
The Argentine international has been admired by the club for some time thanks to his aggressive defending, competitive mentality and ability to play on the front foot.

#loan #premier #deco

Liverpool are set to finalise the signing of Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona.
Andoni Iraola's side havereached an agreement to sign the Barcelona captain on a season-long loan deal, with a non-mandatory option to make the move permanent for an undisclosed fee.
Liverpool have targeted Araujo to add depth to their centre-back options, following the loss of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Araujo will add an experienced option alongside Virgil van Dijk, helping to ease the adaption of summer signing Jeremy Jacquet and 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni, who is returning from an ACL lay-off.
Araujo will hope to rebuild his career at Liverpool after a frustrating couple of seasons in Catalonia. The Uruguay international has struggled for form and fitness in recent campaigns and took a break from football to focus on his mental health last season, amid fierce criticism.

#ibrahima

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan has agreed to become Uruguay head coach on an interim basis.
Forlan succeeds Marcelo Bielsa, who stepped down after Uruguay failed to qualify from the group stage at the World Cup.
The 47-year-old is set to be in charge for the national team's friendlies this autumn before a permanent manager is appointed at the end of this year or the start of 2027.
Forlan has also been named coach for Uruguay's Under-20 team, alongside the senior first team.
Ex-Leeds United boss Bielsa became Uruguay boss in May 2023 but they won 15 of his 39 games in charge and, after their disappointing early exit from the World Cup, the 70-year-old Argentine said his tenure "left nothing behind".

#charge #team #boss

Uruguayan forward Lucho Rodríguez arrived in Belo Horizonte in the early hours of Tuesday (4) to become Cruzeiro's new signing.
Loaned free of charge by Neom, from Saudi Arabia, he is undergoing medical exams this morning before officially signing a one-season loan deal.
Upon his arrival, the player spoke to the press about his physical condition. Lucho explained that he took part in an intense preseason with the Saudi club and, although he still needs match fitness, he hopes to be available to the coaching staff after the first few days of training.
The Uruguayan's debut, however, has been ruled out for this Wednesday (5), in the match against Chapecoense in the Copa do Brasil round of 16, since the registration deadline for this stage has already passed.
The first opportunity for the forward to wear the Cruzeiro shirt could come next Sunday (9), at 11 a.m., against Mirassol at Mineirão, in the 22nd round of the Brasileirão. To be legally eligible to play, Lucho's name must appear in the CBF's BID by the end of this Friday (7).

#belo

Lionel Messi returned to Major League Soccer action after World Cup duty on Saturday, coming on in the second half as his Inter Miami side drew 2-2 with Columbus Crew.
Two weeks after Argentina's loss to Spain in the World Cup final, Messi was back on the pitch, entering in the 53rd minute to the delight of fans at Miami's Nu Stadium.
But Messi could not mark his return with a goal, twice shooting wide.
Uruguayan Luis Suarez scored his seventh goal in his last four games to put Miami 1-0 up in the 16th minute.
Miami's former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro scored an own goal in the 34th minute which drew Columbus level at 1-1.

#goal #Miami

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was a rousing success, but it wasn't perfect. One standout hiccup was the final venue: New York/New Jersey Stadium, aka MetLife, which simply wasn't up to the standards of the world's biggest sporting match.
We've only just managed to catch our breath after a spine-tingling 2026 FIFA World Cup, and yet, the focus is already shifting towards the 2030 edition.
Like 2026, there will be three official host nations in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, but to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tournament, the first three matches will take place in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina — making this the first World Cup to feature across six countries and three continents.
But four years out from the competition, there is plenty still up in the air. It's uncertain how many teams will participate, and the final venue is still yet to be determined.
While Spain is confident of securing the rights to the final after the Santiago Bernabéu's €1.35 billion renovation, don't count Morocco out. The Hassan II Stadium is currently under construction just outside of Casablanca, and with a planned capacity of 115,000, it would be the biggest football stadium in the world upon completion.

#World #morocco #wasn 't #venue

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Arsenal have again been linked with Maxi Araújo, after reports in Portugal claimed the Sporting CP wide player has been offered to both the Gunners and Liverpool as his representatives explore the possibility of a move to the Premier League.
Araújo has reportedly been admired by leading English clubs since last season and, according to reports, his representatives have informed ***** nal and Liverpool that the Uruguay international is keen to play in England and would be open to a transfer.
According to The S*n, the player's agents have taken advantage of interest generated by his performances last season, along with his displays at the World Cup, where he scored twice and registered an ***** ist despite Uruguay failing to progress beyond the group stage.
Correio da Manha

#Liverpool #according #pantling

Uefa's extraordinary threat to boycott the World Cup over Fifa's plans to sell off stakes in the tournament is significant news – but there is precedent for teams and continental bodies taking a stance against the competition.
European football's governing power voted on Thursday to boycott World Cups over controversial proposals put forward by Fifa president Gianni Infantino to sell off stakes in football's showpiece event.
Uefa has been joined by Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America and hosted this year's World Cup – it said its 41 member ***** ociations "rejected" the proposal made by Infantino in another significant blow to the plans.
While a body as powerful as Uefa has not directly threatened such a step before, history contains a number of examples of nations and governing bodies skipping the World Cup for geopolitical or footballing reasons.
Uruguay, the inaugural World Cup winners in 1930, refused to defend their ***** le four years later in protest at the lack of teams from Europe that had travelled to South America for that first tournament.

#uefa #plans #significant

We have just reached half-time in Real Madrid's second pre-season match against Leganés. Real Madrid took to the field with the following line-up: Lunin, Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler, Mastantuono, Ciria (Castilla), García. Attendance at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano was restricted to journalists and staff, with new signing Denzel Dumfries amongst the few spectators.
After a slow start to proceedings, with Madrid maintaining possession at almost walking-speed – we ended up seeing a good amount of action. Arda Güler linked up with Fede Valverde for the first chance of the game, but the Uruguayan could not get his toe to the delicate pass. The same combination would later open the scoring, this time with a combination along the floor allowing Fede to poke the ball home. Madrid would make it two straight after a drinks break, when a trademark Trent Alexander-Arnold pass found Gonzalo García who **** ed the ball over the keeper to score. Trent was deployed very high up the pitch, and was a standout alongside Arda.
Leganés did pull a goal back with an unstoppable effort that left Andriy Lunin and his defence mesmerised. A great first-half test against a strong second division side – with the score currently reading 2-1 to the hosts ahead of the second period. Changes are expected at the break. Check out our socials for coverage for the remainder of the game.

#second #alexander #arda

Federico Valverde is set to become one of the most influential figures in Jose Mourinho’s new-look Real Madrid, with the Portuguese coach viewing the Uruguayan midfielder as the perfect captain to lead his project both on and off the pitch.
According to Thomas Martin of El Debate, Mourinho believes Valverde embodies everything he expects from a Real Madrid player.
His intensity, leadership, work ethic and relentless competitiveness have convinced the manager that the midfielder is the ideal link between the coaching staff and the dressing room.
Mourinho sees Federico Valverde as far more than just another starter in his midfield.
The Real Madrid manager believes the Uruguay international perfectly represents the mentality he wants throughout the squad.

#mourinho #jose #portuguese

Luis Suarez scored twice and Preston Plambeck grabbed a late winner as Inter Miami, without Lionel Messi, beat Chicago Fire 3-2 on Wednesday to spoil Robert Lewandowski's Major League Soccer debut.
Uruguayan veteran Suarez captained Miami with Messi and fellow Argentine Rodrigo de Paul missing four days after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final.
The 37-year-old Poland striker Lewandowski was making his MLS debut having signed from Barcelona after they were crowned Spanish champions.
Prolific goalscorer Lewandowski, who also starred for Bayern Munich from 2014-2022 and has more than 700 goals for club and country, started for Chicago and played 63 minutes.
But it was 20-year-old Plambeck, a product of Miami's youth system, who emerged as the unlikely hero, coming off the bench to score the 87th-minute winner.

#Miami #messi #luis

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has barely ended, and behind the scenes rumors are already starting about the next World Cups.
In addition to the possible expansion from 48 to 64 teams, discussions are emerging about the host nations from 2038 onward.
According to the newspaper Le Parisien, France is considering a joint bid with Germany for 2038 or 2042.
It is worth remembering that the next two World Cups will be held in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco (with opening matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) in 2030, and in Saudi Arabia in 2034.
According to the publication, a report commissioned by the French Ministry of Sports concluded that the French would be ready to host the event, with the aim of adapting stadiums to today's new social and environmental requirements.

#according #fifa

Real Madrid's new captain, Federico Valverde, shared his thoughts on new manager Jose Mourinho on Wednesday. Valverde returned to training after Uruguay had a disappointing first-round elimination at the World Cup.
"I'm eager to learn from Mourinho, to try and listen to every piece of advice he gives me. To get the most out of every second, every minute of training I get to share with him and his coaching staff," said Valverde.
"I'm going to try to learn and grow as a footballer and as a person. I think he's a special person from whom I can learn a lot."
Real Madrid are currently hosting double sessions under Jose Mourinho at Valdebebas. It's been an intense start to the pre-season as Mourinho wants all players in top shape. Real Madrid have a series of pre-season friendlies lined up. Valverde will soon get the chance to demonstrate his level to Mourinho.

#real #madrid #training #season

Federico Valverde has officially returned to Real Madrid’s pre-season preparations after enjoying 24 days of vacation, becoming the latest World Cup international to rejoin José Mourinho’s squad.
Following Arda Guler, who reported back on Monday, the Uruguayan midfielder is the second returning international to resume training at Valdebebas.
Valverde began the day by completing his routine medical examinations, receiving clearance before taking part in his first training session under Mourinho.
His return increases the number of available first-team players to ten, although the squad continues to rely heavily on academy players while the remaining internationals complete their holidays.
Uruguay’s disappointing World Cup campaign ended in the group stage after draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, along with a defeat to Spain.

#mourinho #first #federico #real

Manchester United have provided a major fitness update on Manuel Ugarte.
Last month, United confirmed that Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury during Uruguay's World Cup defeat to Spain in Guadalajara.
The midfielder twisted awkwardly as he tried to engage in a tackle in the build-up to Spain's winning goal. He hit the floor in pain before he was taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Uruguay's medical staff ****** sed him before he flew back to Manchester for further checks. It was then that United confirmed the devastating news.
Ugarte himself branded the problem "the most serious injury a footballer can face", while vowing to "be back stronger."

Ismail Elfath will take charge of the World Cup semi-final clash between England and Argentina in Atlanta.
Born in Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States as an 18-year-old after winning a diversity visa lottery, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2006.
He made his refereeing debut in Major League Soccer in 2012 before becoming a Fifa-listed official in 2016, earning selection for the U20 World Cup in 2019.
Three years later, he made his bow at the senior tournament, whistling three fixtures in Qatar including the round of 16 clash between **** an and Croatia.
This semi-final will be his fourth fixture of the 2026 World Cup, with the 44-year-old having sent off Uruguay's Agustin Cannobio during their group stage encounter with Spain. He also took charge of Norway's win over Brazil in the round of 16.

Manuel Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury whilst at the World Cup with Uruguay and there have been several questions submitted via our Manchester United Ask Me Anything form about whether the Old Trafford club will be compensated for it.
The short answer is yes. The detail is more complicated.
The money doesn't come from Uruguay, it comes from Fifa's insurers. The actual detail states: "Players can receive up to $7.5m (£5.6m) per accident, paid daily for a maximum of 365 days after the first 28 days of absence. Payments are calculated on the player's fixed salary only, excluding bonuses or other variable pay."
It is not completely clear what Ugarte's salary is because most Premier League players will have bonuses and image rights included as part of their contract.
If he hits the threshold, though, it means United would get about £13,500 per day from 28 days after Ugarte's absence, which is also variable, depending on whether it starts when the injury happened – or when it was diagnosed.

Ismail Elfath will take charge of the World Cup semi-final clash between England and Argentina in Atlanta.
Born in Morocco, Elfath moved to the United States as an 18-year-old after winning a diversity visa lottery, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2006.
He made his refereeing debut in Major League Soccer in 2012 before becoming a Fifa-listed official in 2016, earning selection for the U20 World Cup in 2019.
Three years later, he made his bow at the senior tournament, whistling three fixtures in Qatar including the round of 16 clash between ****** an and Croatia.
This semi-final will be his fourth fixture of the 2026 World Cup, with the 44-year-old having sent off Uruguay's Agustin Cannobio during their group stage encounter with Spain. He also took charge of Norway's win over Brazil in the round of 16.

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, further cementing Lionel Messi's name as one of, if not the, greatest players to ever play the game.
Messi joins celebrated countryman Diego Maradona as debated 'GOATS' to lift the World Cup trophy, as Argentina won for the third time and first since the 1986 tournament in Mexico.
MORE — 100 days away | 2026 World Cup qualification hub
Of course, Kylian Mbappe and France won the previous tournament, four years after Germany laid claim to the 2014 honors through Mario Gotze's marvelous winner.
Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930 and is one of six teams to win multiple World Cups (Italy, France, Brazil, Germany, Argentina). England and Spain each won once.

It’s a particularly cruel way to make a departure official.
After recently terminating the contract of their Brazilian center-back Léo Coelho, Amazonas FC went even further by posting an Instagram video compiling his biggest blunders, positioning errors, and own goals.
It was a deliberate act of pettiness from the Brazilian third-division club (Brasileiro Série C), in response to the labor claim filed by Coelho, who is demanding nearly 8 million reais (around 1.3 million euros) for unpaid wages and other contractual breaches.
The 33-year-old defender had arrived in the Amazon region last August with the status of an experienced player after spells with Uruguayan giants Nacional and Peñarol. But things quickly turned sour.
While some praised the originality of the move, others saw it as a blatant lack of respect.

Uruguay have turned to one of their greatest-ever footballers to lead the national team into a new era.
The Uruguayan Football **** ociation (AUF) president Ignacio Alonso confirmed Diego Forlan will be appointed as interim head coach following Marcelo Bielsa's departure.
The former Atletico Madrid and Villarreal forward will take charge of La Celeste until March 2027, with the federation set to review his position thereafter.
Forlan's appointment comes after Bielsa stepped down following Uruguay's disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign.
Despite arriving at the tournament with high expectations, Uruguay suffered a group-stage exit after collecting just two points from their matches against Spain, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.

Thanks to Jude Bellingham's two goals against Norway on Saturday night, Real Madrid has made World Cup history! Yes, yes, you read that right...
The Madrid club became the highest-scoring club in World Cup history in a single edition, with 19 goals scored by its players during this 2026 edition.
8 goals for Mbappé, 6 for Bellingham, 4 for Vinicius and 1 for Arda Güler.
Asked about the identity of Marcelo Bielsa's successor, Uruguayan Football Federation (AUF) president Ignacio Alonso explained on Tuesday that he had chosen Diego Forlán to take the job at least until March 2027.
Sixteen years after his iconic World Cup in South Africa, the former striker is now the head coach of his nation!

With the first 48-team World Cup soon coming to a close, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is laying the ground for further expansion of the tournament in 2030.
Infantino recently conducted an interview with Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport and was asked about expansion of the World Cup to include 64 teams.
"That's definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," Infantino said, per Blue Sport translation. "When organizing a World Cup, it's important to organize it for the whole world—not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.
"Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it's getting higher and higher, all over the world. If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving."
The 2030 World Cup will officially be co-hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco. But in honor of the the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930, the tournament will hold three first-round matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Amazonas FC "broke new ground" by officially announcing the termination of center-back Léo Coelho's contract after he had taken the club to court.
In addition to the statement announcing the end of the deal, the current 14th-placed team in Série C posted a video featuring the 33-year-old defender's "worst moments."
There are five clips in which Léo Coelho ends up "helping out" during opponents' attacks.
The player is seeking around R$ 8 million from the Manaus-based club over unpaid wages.
After spells with Uruguayan giants Nacional and Peñarol, he joined Amazonas in August last year.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that the organization will examine the possibility of expanding the World Cup to a 64-team format as early as the 2030 edition.
The information was published by The Athletic, the sports arm of The New York Times.
The current tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, introduced the 48-team format, a significant increase from the 32-team version that was in place from 1998 to 2022.
For 2030, the World Cup is scheduled to be spread across six nations and three continents: Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host most of the matches, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one match at the start of the competition, in tribute to the centenary of the 1930 World Cup.
Discussions gained momentum in September 2025, after FIFA received a formal proposal from a delegation of South American leaders.

Former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has his eyes on several of his former stars.
Initially, it came to light that the new AC Milan manager had set his sights on reuniting with defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Having worked with the Uruguayan both at United and Sporting CP, a move made sense, with INEOS also open to the arrangement for the right fee.
However, an injury sustained during the World Cup put paid to those hopes, and for now, the Uruguay international remains in Manchester.
Then, Amorim targeted Amad, one of the few players who excelled under him during his ill-fated Old Trafford tenure.

Real Madrid have long ****** umed that their stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu, will be the chosen venue to host the 2030 World Cup final, despite competition from the Spotify Camp Nou.
However, the Bernabeu may no longer be the clear favourite to host the 2030 World Cup final, with Morocco gaining ground in the race to stage the biggest match of the tournament.
According to The Objective (h/t Bernabeu Digital), Morocco is currently considered the favourite to host the final.
The report claims the country has significant support in its attempt to secure the match, putting the Bernabeu's chances under threat.
The 2030 World Cup will mainly be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will stage the opening matches to commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup.