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Andoni Iraola drops €55m Liverpool transfer hint
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Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has heaped praise on Ronald Araujo following his immense performance during the club’s 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.
The Uruguay international joined Liverpool on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona in August and he has quickly cemented his place as Iraola’s favoured right-back, solving a major problem in the process.
Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong have both been plagued by injury issues over the past 12 months, and Araujo’s form has been a welcome boost for the Reds, who have now kept four clean sheets in their last eight matches across all competitions.
Only Arsenal, Leeds United and Brighton have conceded fewer than Liverpool’s eight Premier League goals so far this season, and reports suggest that Araujo’s loan deal is highly likely to become permanent next summer if he continues to impress.
Liverpool have the option to sign him for €55 million when his loan deal expires next June, and Iraola’s comments suggest that he would love Araujo to stay at the club.
Andoni Iraola drops Ronald Araujo transfer hint
“It helps a lot [to have Ronald]. I think we all enjoyed watching Ronald fighting. I think he's very good in the duels,” Iraola told reporters after Liverpool’s win over Brighton (via the Liverpool Echo).
“Even the first goal, I think he wins two duels in a row, he arrives at the byline and after, it's not an assist, but it's worth an assist. And defensively, I think he's been really, really really good.
“I'm happy for him because I've taken him out in the last two games, because we needed more offensive things, at half-time and he has continued working with no issues and today we needed him more. He has given a very, very good 90 minutes.”
Iraola added: “[We defended well] especially in the second half. Second half obviously we defended lower, we didn't give so much space.
“It was 50-50 in the first half. Both defences were quite high and then there was space in behind both defensive lines. Second half, I think we were more compact.
“But, it's a team that if you see stats and they cross a lot, so you have to do the basics very well, you have to clear the ball very well, you have to block shots very well, block crosses, win second balls. And I think overall our defenders have been good at doing the basics.”
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