Liverpool will trigger £47m Araujo purchase option on one condition as Iraola reacts
Liverpool are ready to trigger the purchase option in Ronald Araujo’s loan deal from Barcelona if he continues his good form, according to reports.
The Reds signed Jeremy Jacquet (£55m, Stade Rennais), Victor Munoz (£34.5m, Osasuna), Araujo (loan, Barcelona), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (£2.57m, Austria Vienna), Bradley Barcola (£106m, PSG), Lucca Brughmans (£28.3m, Genk) in the summer transfer window.
After losing Ibrahim Konate and Andy Robertson in the summer transfer window, Liverpool needed to bring in some more defensive experience over the summer with youngster Jacquet joining.
27-year-old Araujo was the man Liverpool chose and the Uruguay international has been impressing in his early appearances after being deployed as a right-back by Iraola.
After insisting he “misspoke” during another podcast appearance when claiming there was no purchase option in the Araujo deal, Fabrizio Romano has clarified that there definitely is one and it’s worth €55m (£47m).
Romano recently told Caught Offside: “Many of you asking me about his situation in terms of future, in terms of contract. I wanted to clarify something. I was mentioning on a podcast that he didn’t have a buy option clause.
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“So, Liverpool didn’t have a buy option clause in the deal. That’s not the case. As I told you in the summer, it was just my mistake. I told you in the summer and I can confirm that my information I broke in August. I think it was there is a buy option clause for Liverpool and it’s worth €55 million. So that’s the buy option close for Liverpool.
“So if Liverpool want to keep Araujo, they know the condition of the deal.”
And now Football Insider claims that Liverpool ‘will not rush into triggering their purchase option’ for Araujo as they have a ‘plan’ for the defender.
The report adds: ‘Andoni Iraola is understood to be pleased with the contributions that the Uruguayan has made so far, but intends to evaluate his defensive options later in the campaign.
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‘However, sources say that if Araujo continues in this vein of form, then Liverpool would be willing to sign him on a permanent deal.’
Araujo on Liverpool: ‘I’m really happy to be here’
Speaking to Spanish TV after Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid in their Champions League match, Araujo said: “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.”
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