As Liverpool fans continue to call for Ronald Araujo to join the club permanently from Barcelona at the end of the season, the price of any deal has been revealed

Never fall in love with a loan player is a common saying in soccer, but Liverpool fans can't help but ignore that warning when it comes to Ronald Araujo.

The defender joined for the season from Barcelona, having had a difficult campaign with the Blaugrana as he battled difficulties on the pitch and a challenge with his own mental health along the way.

A fresh start may well have been exactly what he needed, as Hansi Flick's decision to tell the club captain that he had fallen down the pecking order opened the door to a switch to Merseyside.

Considering the lack of depth at centre-back and right-back, it was a move that made sense for Liverpool, with fans viewing the arrival of Araujo as more of a stop-gap for a more long-term solution next summer. What the Uruguayan international has brought instead is something the supporters didn't expect.

The 27-year-old has made the right-back flank his own with some solid defensive displays, but beyond that, a desire, hunger, and intention to put side before self in almost every single action.

While it isn't always neat, tidy, or pretty, Araujo is doing everything on a pitch that fans want from a player who seems willing to put himself on the line to protect the jersey.

That has naturally led to fans already calling for a permanent move. Fortunately for Liverpool, the potential to do that is relatively simple, as the loan deal from Barcelona includes an option to buy priced at $61.6 million.

That means, should the Reds trigger a deal before the loan move comes to an end next summer, then Araujo can agree a switch to Anfield that will keep him with the club for the foreseeable future.

The loanee's impact is already clear to see, with former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld explaining just what the star is doing at Liverpool so far.

Speaking on Match of the Day, he said: "Araujo you're going to see, there's one thing in his mind, 'I have to win the duel'. That's what they want to see at Anfield, the willingness to work hard and to win duels.

"And Araujo, this is the best action for me from him today [against Brighton] Again, position is good, they [Liverpool] have total control, he wants to win the tackle, he did.

"And then you're going to celebrate like he scored a goal you know. And then the other teammates celebrate with him. That says enough, they got some criticism and they wanted to show 'look this is how good we are defensively', and to keep a clean sheet."

Araujo has epitomized everything that Liverpool fans want to see out of an Iraola team, so it's no surprise that the calls keep coming for him to sign permanently in the months ahead.