Troy Deeney has admitted he was wrong to write off Ronald Araujo as a desperate signing when the defender joined Liverpool on loan from Barcelona in August.
Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo after Liverpool’s 4-3 Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday, Deeney said he’d been impressed by Araujo’s performances since arriving. “I have to pull myself up because I like to consider myself a fair individual,” Deeney told the outlet. “At the start of the season, when they signed him, I thought it was a desperate signing. But since he’s been in at right-back he has been amazing.”
The pundit singled out Araujo’s physical presence, strength and reading of the game. “He’s so big, strong, powerful, understanding of the game, he reads it really well,” Deeney said. “I’ve been really, really impressed. He gives a calming influence which is really strange. Yeah, I owe him an apology. Very, very good; very impressive so far this season.”
Araujo, 27, has also shown he can play centre-half when needed, and has scored in two successive Champions League games. He started his Liverpool career well despite concerns about adapting to the Premier League’s physicality.
How this story developed
- 21 Oct We first reported this.
- 21 Oct Metro reports Deeney's apology was published on 21 October.
- 22 Oct Sports Mole now reports Liverpool are considering a permanent £47m deal for Araujo after his Champions League performances.
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