Liverpool still need to make transfer decision on €55m sensation
· Yahoo Sports
Andoni Iraola may have only been in charge of Liverpool for a few months now but, you can already see the impact he's had on the Anfield outfit.
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The Spaniard chose to exit Bournemouth towards the end of last season so that he could seek pastures new.
At the time, it felt like he was nailed on to be Athletic Club's new manager but, instead, Edin Terzic was the man appointed.
This left many questions about Iraola unanswered as, Liverpool only decided to get rid of Arne Slot after a last-minute decision.
However, in the end, he was appointed by Fenway Sports Group and was allowed to get his transfer business underway to try and improve the Reds' ranks and better their fifth-place finish in the Premier League from the 2025-26 season.
And, while most of the transfers that he's made have been impressive, Liverpool still haven't made their final decision about a €55m star.
Ronald Araujo's €55 million buy option isn't guaranteed to be activated yet
Of all the players that Liverpool brought in this summer, Ronald Araujo has been one of the most impressive additions.
His transfer came out of nowhere with many fans questioning what the Reds were doing.
However, after right-back and centre-back were two major problem areas for the Anfield outfit last term, signing a player who can cover both positions makes plenty of sense.
And, the fact that they didn't have to pay a penny in transfer fees made the deal even sweeter.
At the moment, the deal for Araujo is a season-long loan with an option to buy worth around €55 million (£47 million) and, while fans already want Liverpool to activate it, the Reds are still unconvinced.
That is, if an update from the Liverpool ECHO is to be believed.
"And earlier in that game, there was also an example of how Araujo is using his experience to help cajole some of his younger defensive team-mates, not least Jacquet who was given applause and encouragement after one good piece of covering," they wrote.
"That Araujo already feels at home at Liverpool is undisputed, given his comments after the win over Atletico.
"That, though, is no guarantee the Reds will happily hand over the best part of £50m for a player who turns 28 in March, a deal that would be very much not in keeping with the FSG transfer model.
"Then there's fact Liverpool have only twice before signed a player permanently after a loan spell at the club. Araujo, though, has already shown a habit of defying conventions at Anfield."
Liverpool must make a decision about their future right-back soon
Obviously, with Conor Bradley still side-lined due to injury, Liverpool can't really make a final decision on what they want to do with Araujo just yet.
The right-back has arguably been their best signing this season but, since he'll be 28 years old by June 2027, it's unclear how many more years he'll have left at the top level.
And, even though he hasn't been injured with Liverpool yet, his injury history is a massive warning sign.
At the moment, he's the perfect player for the Reds as, if we're being honest, Jeremie Frimpong is the furthest thing possible from being a right-back.
But, with Bradley still not back from injury, it's unclear whether he'll come back in and take over as Liverpool's right-back or not.
Obviously, a lot of this is down to how well the Northern Irishman performs upon his return but, much like Araujo, it doesn't feel like Bradley can be a long-term option for Liverpool due to his injury history.
At the moment, it's anyone's guess what is going to happen but, by January, Liverpool need to have a clear plan in place for their right-back.