Ronald Araujo on Liverpool future: "It's still too early to talk about a permanent transfer"

Ronald Araujo, on loan at Liverpool from Barcelona, has said it is still too early to talk about whether the club will take up the option to buy him at the end of the season.

The Uruguayan defender joined Liverpool on a season-long deal in August, with the club facing a defensive crisis after injuries to Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Jeremy Jacquet. While Jacquet, now back from injury, has made a superb start to his Liverpool career alongside Virgil van Dijk at centre-back, Araujo has mostly been deployed at right-back.

Araujo has made 10 appearances in all competitions this season, making him one of the side's most-used players along with Jacquet and Alexis Mac Allister. With Jeremie Frimpong injured in Saturday's 2-1 win over Brentford, Araujo's place in the starting line-up looks secure for now.

The defender has started 8 of those matches and helped his side keep 2 clean sheets. He has also won 25 of his 36 aerial duels, making him, together with Van Dijk, the team's most effective player in the air.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Champions League clash with Villarreal, Araujo said he is very happy at Anfield but does not yet know what the future holds:

"It's still too early to talk about these things. I'm just trying to enjoy every day and keep improving and growing so I can maintain this confidence. I'm really happy to be here, my family is very happy too, but it's a bit early to talk about a permanent transfer. From the very first moment I arrived here, I've been made to feel incredibly welcome, not only by the club staff but by the supporters as well. I'm very grateful to them. I want to repay that love by giving everything in training and in every match."

Araujo has won 35 of his 60 duels in a Liverpool shirt, placing him among the team's leading duel winners behind Jacquet (48), Mac Allister (40) and Milos Kerkez (39).