Ronald Araujo
Ronald Araujo
Ronald Araujo’s move to Liverpool this summer arrived with a mixture of intrigue and uncertainty.
The Uruguay international joined on a season-long loan from Barcelona in August, with Liverpool holding an option to make the deal permanent next summer for a fee in the region of £47 million.
At Barcelona, Araujo had endured a mixed spell, and some pundits, including Jamie Carragher, initially questioned the wisdom of the move.
Since arriving on Merseyside, though, the 27-year-old has answered those doubts on the pitch, establishing himself in Andoni Iraola’s side despite being a centre-back by trade.
Deployed mainly at right-back ahead of Jeremie Frimpong, Ronald Araujo has featured in six appearances across all competitions and quickly became a fan favourite.
He has started Liverpool’s last four matches, a run that has brought three wins, a draw and just two goals conceded, and he provided an assist in the 2-1 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Bournemouth, Iraola reflected on Araujo’s start to life at the club and revealed one area he wants the defender to work on.
“I’m very happy for him,” Iraola said. “Because the first time I talked to him – we knew each other because we played against each other but not personally – sometimes you talk to a player and you can feel straight away that everything was positive.”
“I think he needed this kind of change. He has come with humility, is coming from also a big club, experienced player,” the Liverpool manager added.
Iraola also praised Araujo’s versatility and physical durability, noting the extra demands of switching between centre-back and right-back.
“We need you right-back, we need you centre-back, if we need him in every other position, I think he’s ready to do it,” he said.
“Physically also, he’s played probably more minutes than we expected, being so early in the season, and he’s showing he is robust. It is still early but he’s finishing the games in a good place physically – he’s not cramping.”
“Especially when you are a centre-back and you have to play wide as a right-back, the demands physically are different. Probably it is more demanding and he’s assuming these efforts well,” Iraola explained.
The Liverpool boss then turned to an area he believes could unlock even more from the Uruguayan.
“I like his spirit. Now I’m pushing him to learn a little bit the language because a good way for us to use his experience is if he could communicate better with the teammates and use all the experience that he has, but I suppose it will take some time,” Iraola said.
Sunday’s fixture carries added significance for Iraola, who returns to the Vitality Stadium for the first time since leaving Bournemouth to become Liverpool’s head coach in June.
He spent three seasons in charge of the Cherries, guiding them to a sixth-place finish last term that secured Europa League qualification for the first time in the club’s 127-year history.
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