According to reports from Spain, Liverpool have already made up their minds about whether or not to sign Ronald Araujo permanently next year.<\/p>\n
The Uruguayan defender is on loan with the Reds from Barcelona for this season and has featured in all seven matches that Andoni Iraola\u2019s side have played in the campaign so far, starting five of those (Transfermarkt).<\/p>\n
As per Fabrizio Romano, the Merseysiders have a \u20ac55m (\u00a347.3m) purchase option for the 27-year-old if they wish to sign him outright, and it would appear to be one of which they might avail.
\nLiverpool \u2018seriously considering\u2019 permanent deal for Araujo<\/p>\n
A report from Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Liverpool chiefs could \u2018seriously consider\u2019 exercising the purchase option in the Araujo deal, based on the player\u2019s strong start to the season.<\/p>\n
\u2018Sources close to the club\u2019 have indicated that his adaptation to English football has been very positive and that his adaptability to a right-back position has helped to make the defence more settled, with the Uruguayan playing mostly at centre-back throughout his career.
\nThe case for signing Araujo permanently gets stronger every week<\/p>\n
The sample size on Araujo is still quite small to be making any definitive decisions on his future, but he could hardly be doing more to convince the Liverpool hierarchy of a permanent transfer.<\/p>\n
His rock-solid performances and full-blooded nature have immediately endeared him to the Kop, and he\u2019s nrought more stability to a right-back position which had been so problematic for the Reds. In turn, that has left the door open for Jeremy Jacquet to forge what\u2019s quickly becoming a formidable centre-back partnership with Virgil van Dijk.<\/p>\n
The Uruguay international is currently earning \u00a3210,000 per week (Capology) and will turn 28 next March, so those factors will come into FSG\u2019s thinking when it comes to deciding upon whether or not to sign him permanently.<\/p>\n
If Van Dijk leaves Anfield at the end of his contract next summer, there\u2019ll be an enormous leadership void in the heart of our defence. Having captained Barcelona and shown that he can be a rock for Liverpool, Araujo would seem a prime candidate to replace the Dutchman in that aspect.<\/p>\n
The Reds still have several months to decide whether or not to sign the 27-year-old permanently, but on the evidence of his early performances for the Merseyside giants, the case for taking up that option is growing stronger by the week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"