Araujo the stopgap solution fixing Liverpool's problems

Ronald Araujo has impressed since arriving at Liverpool from Barcelona. Could he prove a longer-term solution? Liverpool have an option to buy Ronald Araujo for £47.2m at the end of the season Seeing Ronald Araujo with the South American drink known as Mate is becoming a regularity around Liverpool. Those close to the 27-year-old say that true to his Uruguayan heritage, he takes the caffeinated beverage – made by steeping dry leaves in warm water – wherever he goes. The sight of defender Araujo in Liverpool's starting line-up is also becoming the norm this season. For all the focus on Liverpool's big-money signings, it is the one they got on loan that is increasingly looking like one of their most important deals.

Since arriving on a season-long loan from Barcelona, Araujo has started eight of Liverpool's 10 games under Andoni Iraola, with six of those appearances coming at right-back and four at centre-back. Last week, he scored his first Liverpool goal with a header against LASK and there was a backheel assist for Dominik Szoboszlai against Atletico Madrid. With Conor Bradley out since January with a knee injury and Jeremie Frimpong now sidelined until the November international break with a muscle injury, Araujo, who is taking English lessons, is seizing the chance to showcase the versatility and experience that attracted