Andoni Iraola has doubled down on his message to Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) that further investment in the squad is essential this summer.
At his introductory press conference last week, the Reds’ new head coach made no secret of his desperation for further additions during the transfer window, with just two new faces coming in since the end of last season.
The 44-year-old spoke to the media once more on Tuesday, with the LFC first-team squad having arrived in Chicago for their pre-season tour of the United States, and he again stressed the need to bolster two positions in particular where he feels that options are light.
Iraola said (via liverpoolfc.com): “You have to be always open to new options to improve the squad. There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger.
“There are other situations that we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what’s the cost, how we also see the players we have. We have some tricky positions where we have injured players that we trust but is still not the ideal situation, so it will depend on a lot of things.”
When asked if he’d like to strengthen at right-back given the ongoing injury troubles for Conor Bradley, the head coach replied: “I think it’s a situation that is tricky, because we trust Conor in the long-term. We know we want him to be our right-back but right now he is still, I would say, a little bit far from returning.
“With the centre-back, with the right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, I think we are very thin right now, so I think it’s a solution that we are trying to find, yes.”
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Iraola’s message to FSG could hardly be any clearer – they simply must get busy in the market if he’s to be adequately stocked for what’ll be another hectic season in which Liverpool compete on four fronts.
The transfer window opened five-and-a-half weeks ago and is now less than six weeks from closing, so we’re essentially at the halfway point and the only new signing so far this summer has been Victor Munoz (the deal for Jeremy Jacquet was secured in the opening weeks of 2026).
Bradley Barcola remains the primary target to replace Mo Salah in attack, but Paris Saint-Germain reportedly value the winger at more than £125m and will make it as difficult as possible to do business with LFC.
Iraola also recognises the myriad injury issues that Liverpool suffered in defence last term and is justifiably craving at least one new face at the back, ideally a Joe Gomez type who can cover multiple positions.
We’re now rapidly approaching the end of July, and with the World Cup done and pre-season underway, a sense of urgency must surely be gripping FSG at this point. The hierarchy simply can’t afford not to back the head coach in the market while they’re getting the opportunity.
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