Liverpool have a £47m option to sign loanee Ronald Araujo permanently from Barcelona
Barcelona sporting director Deco and Liverpool loanee Ronald Araujo
Barcelona sporting director Deco and Liverpool loanee Ronald Araujo(Image: RAC 1 and Getty Images)
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Ronald Araujo has admitted he is happy at Liverpool as Barcelona sporting director Deco offered a cryptic response about the Uruguayan's long-term future. The Reds signed the 27-year-old on loan from the Catalans last month and have a £47m option to buy him permanently if they so wish.
Araujohas featured in all four of Liverpool’s games so far this season. But after impressing off the bench in his favoured centre-back position against both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, he has caught the eye even more when handed his first two starts for the club against Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid.
Fielded at right-back in both matches, Araujo helped the Reds claim their first clean sheet of the season in their 2-0 win over the Tractor Boys, before assisting Dominik Szoboszlai’s equaliser in their 2-1 victory against Atleti.
And even though it is only early days, Araujo is really enjoying his time at Anfield so far.
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“Liverpool is a big club like Barcelona,” the defender told Movistar. “You have to give your best and there are high expectations.
“I am happy, I’m working hard as you can see also on the pitch. I am happy here and hungry for more.
“I’m really happy to be here, because Liverpool are a great club, and I’m really looking forward to continuing to give my all so I can keep contributing to the team.
“I love playing in this stadium; I think it’s a very special and lovely place, and when we’re also able to show off all our hard work here with a good result, it makes us feel very satisfied.
“Today we were up against a great opponent, who we knew had already had some good nights here, but we stood up to them, played a great match and came away with the win, which was the important thing.
“I think we’ve got a great team, and little by little we’re growing too, meeting all the coach’s demands and reaching a higher level.”
Araujo was allowed to leave Barcelona on loan after falling down the pecking order following a difficult season last term, which included the defender taking a mental health break in the middle of the season following intense criticism.
Despite not being on Merseyside, the defender is keeping a close eye on his former club and is very pleased with their current form.
“I’m following Barca. They’re flying high,” he said. “I’m very happy for my teammates.
“They have a great team. They’re contenders to win the Champions League. I follow them and I’m very happy about their current form.”
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That feeling is mutual, with Barcelona sporting director Deco sharing his delight with Araujo’s return to form with Liverpool after watching their win over Atletico.
But the Portuguese admitted he was unsure whether the Uruguayan would return to Camp Nou next year.
“Yesterday I was watching the match of Liverpool,” Deco admitted to RAC 1. “Good assist he made, huh?
“I was watching the match at home. I think football goes beyond just being a player of ours, right? I mean, to Ronald, I have affection for him, I love him, I want things to go well for him, I want him to succeed and be happy as a person.
“To me personally, he's a player that I love. For me, at some moment he couldn't be at his best moment, but I think Ronald has been, until now, his spell at Barca has been spectacular.
“Sometimes ideas don't coincide, the player's moment, and sometimes it's good to look for an exit, that also helps you.
“I don't know (if he’ll come back), let's see, he has a contract with us. It's very early still.
“He's a player that we have a lot of respect for and I would tell you plenty of affection, not only us as a club, but also the locker room, so from here, let's see. It's a topic for the future."