They say that you should never fall in love with a loan signing, but the truth is that there has been little risk of that happening to Liverpool fans in recent years.
Arthur Melo was the Reds’ last temporary acquisition prior to this season, and managed just 13 minutes in the shirt due to a muscle tear.
Ozan Kabak, meanwhile, was only slightly more impactful in clocking up 13 appearances across the back half of the previous campaign.
And their predecessors Steven Caulker, Javi Manquillo, Nuri Sahin and Aly Cissokho can hardly claim to have left supporters wanting more, either.
It is for this reason that expectations were understandably low when Ronald Araujo arrived in early August to help patch up Andoni Iraola’s understaffed defence.
The very fact that Barcelona were happy to sanction a loan felt illustrative, while their supporters were only too happy to highlight the mistakes that had led to a departure.
As for Liverpool, they were keen to stress that the mechanism to make the transfer permanent was an option, rather than an obligation.
It hardly felt like the emergence of a new cult hero was being teed up by either party.
However, what Araujo did have on his side was an enthusiasm made clear upon the completion of his move.
Having been granted a one-month mental health break during a difficult 2025-26 season, the Uruguayan came into this summer feeling that a fresh start was required.
And such was the strength of his desire to secure it, it transpired he had accepted a pay cut in order to help facilitate a move to Anfield.
Araujo’s representatives also moved to establish relationships locally early doors, underlining that their client’s loan move was not simply viewed as a 12-month holiday from the pressures of Camp Nou.
