Liverpool transfer news: Ronald Araujo latest as Andoni Iraola admits "true" downside of £47m Barcelona loanee

Liverpool caput manager Andoni Iraola has admitted that Ronald Araujo's beingness astatine right-back limits the squad from an violative perspective.

The Reds could find themselves successful the contention for the Premier League rubric if they bushed Arsenal connected Sunday astatine Anfield.

While the Merseysiders are six points down the second-placed Gunners, a three-point spread aft 9 matchweeks would cement their spot successful the hunt for the title.

Defender Araujo could beryllium cardinal for Liverpool's hopes connected the weekend, and different awesome show would substance calls for the nine to marque his indebtedness from Barcelona permanent.

Speaking to reporters up of Sunday, Iraola was delighted by the 27-year-old's antiaircraft contributions, though admitted helium is constricted successful attack, saying: "It decidedly helps having a centre-back astatine right-back erstwhile we speech astir defending acceptable pieces.

"It helps with the tallness and the physicality of the team. It helps america to support amended but it is existent that you besides suffer a small spot offensively connected the different side. Offensively we cannot request of Ronald the aforesaid happening arsenic different full-backs and what they springiness us, but we person to equilibrium this with different patterns."

Liverpool person the enactment to bargain Araujo for €55m (£47.14m) from Barcelona, but it is not yet wide if they volition motion the Uruguayan permanently.

Ronald Araujo news: Should Liverpool motion Barcelona defender?

Araujo has chiefly played arsenic a centre-back during his career, with his appearances connected the close broadside of defence for Barcelona mostly constricted to clashes against the likes of Real Madrid successful bid to halt Vinicius Junior.

However, Iraola has astir exclusively utilized the defender arsenic a right-back astatine Anfield, and helium has excelled without the ball.

The 27-year-old has won 65% of his duels, including 70% of his aerial duels, and helium has consistently won battles against absorption wingers.

Liverpool arsenic a squad fertile 3rd successful the league for xG against (8.82), and they person kept 4 cleanable sheets successful their past six Premier League outings, and 3 of the 4 goals they conceded successful that play came against Manchester City aft Ryan Gravenberch was sent off.

While helium has struggled to lend overmuch erstwhile Liverpool person possession, keeping him arsenic an enactment crossed the backline would beryllium sensible.

Liverpool transportation latest: How tin Andoni Iraola amended his side's attack?

Centre-backs Jeremey Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk are beardown passers, but left-back Milos Kerkez and nominal right-back Araujo are not peculiarly beardown with the ball.

Keeping Araujo arsenic an enactment for aboriginal seasons would beryllium beneficial, though the Reds indispensable guarantee that they motion astatine slightest 1 full-back connected either broadside that is susceptible of playing guardant progressively.

The summation of a midfielder and the improvement of Trey Nyoni would besides assistance the team's quality successful possession, though it remains to beryllium seen whether Liverpool code immoderate of their imbalances successful January.