Liverpool are “working on” a permanent deal to bring Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo to Anfield in the summer, 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 market, Liverpool needed to bring in some more defensive experience 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 clarified in mid-September that there definitely is one and it’s worth €55m (£47m).

Earlier that month, TEAMtalk‘s transfer insider Graeme Bailey revealed that Araujo will leave Barcelona in 2027 if there is no indication that Hansi Flick wants him back at the club with the Liverpool loan star’s long-term future increasingly dependent on the German head coach.

Araujo has increasingly endeared himself to the Anfield faithful, and the Liverpool defender got a roar from the crowd over the weekend in a 2-0 win over Brighton, with the Barca loanee making a headed tackle while on the floor in the penalty area.

And Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk insists that Araujo’s “energy can transcend to the team” if he continues to perform like he did against the Seagulls.

Van Dijk told Stadium Astro: “That’s what we need. You see it with the crowd, the crowd loves it, and that energy can transcend to the team.

“I think it was great to get the clean sheet, [there was] hard work for it of course, because if you look at Brighton they’ve scored so many goals and only conceded a couple.

“So it was important for us to keep that clean sheet and be ready on the break, and that’s what we did.”

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola handed out more praise to Araujo in a hint that he could be willing to make his loan move from Barcelona permanent in the summer.

Iraola told reporters: “It helps a lot [to have Ronald]. I think we all enjoyed watching Ronald fighting. I think he’s very good in the duels.

“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.”

Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown reckons Liverpool are “already working on” a deal to bring him to Anfield on a permanent basis in the summer.

Brown told Football Insider: “Liverpool will already be working on that deal to sign Araujo on a permanent deal, it’s already happening.

“When you get a player like that on loan and he hits the ground running, the immediate inclination is to make sure you have everything lined up behind the scenes.

“So that’s what Liverpool will be doing now, because the manager has liked what he has seen from him so far, especially after that display against Brighton.

“They’ll obviously keep a close eye on how he gets on for the rest of the season, and a decision will be made before the summer, but they want to have it lined up already.

“Araujo has been terrific, he’s become a very important player for Liverpool, and if he continues to impress as he has been, then he is highly likely to stay permanently.”