Liverpool loanee Ronald Araujo has continued to impress during his spell on Merseyside from Barcelona, with talk of a permanent deal continuing to circulate around the defender

Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has claimed that Ronald Araujo could be worth up to $105 million in the summer, as the Reds face a decision over the future of the loanee in the coming months.

The 27-year-old has impressed since moving to Merseyside on loan from Barcelona, quickly cementing himself as the first-choice right-back under Andoni Iraola so far this season. Despite being a center-back by trade, the Uruguayan international has looked more than comfortable on the flank, bringing some defensive security at full-back that has been missing since the exit of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer.

Araujo has quickly won over the Liverpool fans, not only with his secure displays, but with the clear desire that he has shown to defend proudly at any given moment.

That has led to talk of a permanent deal, with the Reds including a buy option in the loan contract, which would allow for a switch to be secured for roughly $61 million when triggered.

As things stand, it seems unlikely that either the club or the player will make a decision in January, instead giving the loan its full length to make a final call on whether a long-term transfer should be secured, which runs until next summer.

A $61 million fee could seem like something of a bargain for Liverpool, with former defender Lovren believing that the star could be worth over $100 million in the future.

Speaking to Tribal Football, the 37-year-old said about a potential permanent deal: "Why not? In the near future, he will probably cost £80 million [$105 million], so why not take him at this price and make him an even bigger and better player along the way?"

"I believe the Premier League suits Ronald Araujo more than the Spanish league. Because he is a physically dominant guy, it suits him perfectly."

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will trigger the clause, but it would be the sort of deal that would solve long-term issues at center-back and right-back, with concerns in both positions that could appear over the next year.

"Yes, I’m grateful for the love from people, very grateful," Araujo said in an interview with Sky Sports, reflecting on the support from the fanbase. "Truly, thank you!

"There’s still a lot of time left, I can’t speak about the future if I don’t know what will happen when they make the decision because there’s a lot of months left. So I am trying to enjoy every day, give everything I can, continue working, continue growing, help the squad so we can win titles, because I strongly believe in the team.

"We have a great team with experienced players, young players and very talented players. So yeah, I have to keep working and we’ll see what will happen in the future, right now you just have to enjoy it."

With Liverpool facing an important few months ahead, there will be some hope that Araujo can continue to show the sort of form that he has done so far, before a decision can be made on his future.