Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola has hit a new obstacle following the completion of Ronald Araujo’s move to Anfield, with the defender’s arrival now restricting the club’s ability to add another foreign player.
The Merseyside club officially announced on Monday evening that Araujo had completed a temporary switch from Barcelona, with an option to make the transfer permanent next summer for £47.1m as reported by The Athletic. With that business now done, focus shifts to Barcola, who is believed to have already reached a personal agreement on a five-year contract with the Reds.
Yet the Paris Saint-Germain winger’s £128m valuation, as claimed by TEAMtalk, is not the only hurdle blocking a potential transfer.
Araujo takes Liverpool to squad limit
The addition of Araujo means Liverpool have now reached the maximum of 17 non-homegrown players permitted in their 2026/27 Premier League squad. Michael Reid, Football Data Editor at OptaJoe, pointed out this issue on social media after the centre-back’s signing was confirmed.
This leaves the Reds facing a tough decision if they wish to secure Barcola’s services. They would need to offload one of their current overseas players or exclude someone from the league squad until the January window opens.
Reid also suggested that Hugo Ekitike could be left out during the early months of the campaign. The forward is expected to miss the rest of the calendar year due to injury, though that approach would only delay the issue rather than fix it permanently.
Barcola move may force Liverpool exit
Liverpool had two openings among their non-homegrown contingent after the exits of Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate. Those spots have now been filled by Victor Munoz and Araujo, leaving no room for further additions under current regulations.
Jeremy Jacquet is exempt from the 25-man Premier League squad due to being born after January 1, 2005. However, UEFA rules differ, meaning he does not qualify for the same under-21 exemption in the Champions League.
If Liverpool conclude that a sale is required to facilitate a deal for Barcola, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa could emerge as potential departures. Football Insider reported on Monday that the club is willing to listen to offers for Endo.
Three weeks remain for Liverpool to adjust
There is still time for Liverpool to make the necessary adjustments before the window closes, with three weeks still available. Additional exits could therefore open up the required space for another incoming player.
At the same time, the club must ensure that Andoni Iraola has sufficient options in every position once September arrives. Creating room for Barcola cannot come at the cost of leaving the squad thin elsewhere.
For now, the situation suggests Liverpool may need to sell before they can buy the PSG attacker, rather than simply negotiating a fee and completing the transfer.
Alternative PSG target avoids quota issue
Liverpool could also turn their attention to another PSG player if a move for Barcola proves unworkable. Ibrahim Mbaye would not present the same registration problem given he is still only 18 years old.
That would allow the Reds to add Mbaye without needing to remove a current non-homegrown player from their Premier League squad.
With the transfer window still open for another three weeks, there remains ample time for the situation to evolve. The decisions made at Anfield in the coming days will determine whether Liverpool can free up space for Barcola or must explore alternative targets.