Iraola happy with signings as Barcola set for debut
September 3, 2026 10:58
Andoni Iraola has publicly backed Liverpool’s summer transfer business, saying he is pleased with the arrivals and that it is his task to get the squad performing. The club completed four major incoming deals this window, headlined by the £123m signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain; Barcola has trained with the squad and is available for selection for Friday’s Premier League trip to Ipswich Town.
Iraola also defended Liverpool’s choice not to add players at right-back or to replace Curtis Jones in midfield, saying alternative moves were rejected for sporting or financial reasons. He reiterated that coaching and selection will be his responsibility as he looks to develop the current group.
KEY CONTEXT
- Liverpool’s summer incomings include Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz (signed from Osasuna for £34.5m), Ronald Araujo (on loan from Barcelona) and the earlier-arranged centre-back Jeremy Jacquet (a £60m deal completed in January).
- Curtis Jones left for Inter Milan in a £30m transfer and the club elected not to recruit a direct replacement; Iraola now has four senior central midfielders—Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo—plus young Trey Nyoni.
- Cody Gakpo remained at the club after Manchester City had an £80m bid rejected; Gakpo has contributed one goal and one assist across Liverpool’s first two league matches, both of which were draws.
- Including the Jacquet move, Liverpool recorded the highest net spend in the Premier League this summer.
WHY IT MATTERS
Iraola’s comments frame the summer activity as a deliberate reshaping rather than an open-ended recruitment drive, placing the onus on coaching and selection to extract results from new and existing players. With several high-profile arrivals and departures, the balance of the squad has changed—particularly in midfield and wide areas—and how quickly Iraola can establish effective combinations will influence Liverpool’s early-season trajectory. The retention of Gakpo and the availability of Barcola add attacking options, while the decision not to replace Jones leaves competition for central midfield minutes concentrated among the existing senior players.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Whether Bradley Barcola features against Ipswich and how quickly he integrates into Iraola’s match plans.
- How Iraola manages midfield rotations among Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Endo and Nyoni given Jones’s exit.
- Whether the new signings, and the coach’s tactical selections, produce the first win under Iraola—he has not yet recorded a victory as Liverpool manager after two draws.
KEY FACTS
- Liverpool signed Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain for £123m; he is available for the Ipswich game.
- Other summer arrivals: Victor Munoz (£34.5m from Osasuna) and Ronald Araujo (loan from Barcelona); Jeremy Jacquet was a £60m deal completed in January.
- Curtis Jones left for Inter Milan for £30m and was not directly replaced.
- Cody Gakpo stayed after Manchester City’s £80m bid was turned down; he has one goal and one assist in Liverpool’s opening two league fixtures.
- Liverpool had the highest net-spend in the Premier League this summer when Jacquet is included.