Iraola Confident in Liverpool's Transfer Strategy
Andoni Iraola is not looking for excuses. Or for more players.
The Liverpool head coach insists he is “very happy” with the club’s summer business and says the responsibility now lies squarely with him to mould a title-chasing side from what he has been given.
Liverpool made four major additions, headlined by the £123m capture of Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain. The French winger is set to be available for Friday’s Premier League opener against Ipswich Town, a potential first glimpse of the club’s marquee signing in red.
“We have done the signings we think will improve our team, improve the positions,” Iraola said. “There were other options that we decided not to take for different reasons, sometimes sporting or economical. It didn’t make sense in the market for those moves. But I’m happy now. I have a lot of quality in the team. Now it is the moment for me and the players to develop what we have.”
No right-back, no new central midfielder. By design.
Liverpool chose not to reinforce at right-back or in the centre of midfield, a calculated gamble in a league where rivals have spent heavily across the pitch. Iraola has publicly backed that strategy rather than hinting at frustration.
“Do I want more signings?” he repeated. The answer was in his tone as much as his words: this is the squad, and he intends to live with it.
Some of the work was done long before he walked through the door. A £60m deal for centre-back Jeremy Jacquet was agreed in January and completed this summer, giving Liverpool a powerful new option at the heart of defence.
Under Iraola’s watch, Liverpool then moved for winger Victor Munoz, signed from Osasuna for £34.5m, and brought in Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona to bolster the back line. Three different profiles, three areas reinforced – wide, central defence, and elite experience.
Midfield reshaped, not rebuilt
Curtis Jones did leave, joining Inter Milan in a £30m move after making 49 appearances last season. Liverpool opted against a like-for-like replacement, leaving Iraola with four senior central midfielders: Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo, plus youngster Trey Nyoni pushing from below.
“In midfield we have good numbers,” Iraola said. “Now it’s a matter of getting the right calls from myself. I’m finding now the best combinations and we are going through a period where we will play a lot of games and we’ll have a chance to see the options we have and the combinations we have. It’s a matter of coaching.”
The message is clear. Liverpool’s midfield solution will not come from the market but from selection, structure and repetition on the training ground.
Holding firm over Gakpo
If Liverpool showed restraint in some areas, they were ruthless in another. Manchester City tested their resolve with an £80m bid for Cody Gakpo. The answer was no.
Iraola made no attempt to hide his relief at that stance.
He said he was “glad to keep Cody Gakpo because he is a valuable player”, underlining the Dutchman’s importance in a forward line that must now integrate Barcola and Munoz without losing its existing edge.
The squad is set. The chequebook is closed. For Iraola, the hard part starts now: proving that faith in “what we have” is enough to keep Liverpool where they expect to be.
