Andoni Iraola, the manager of Liverpool, has expressed his satisfaction regarding the club's recent transfer activity, although he hinted that not all of his requests were fulfilled. Since taking over the managerial role in July, Iraola has been in discussions with the recruitment team about the necessary improvements to the squad.
In the latest transfer window, Liverpool made significant moves to bolster their team, particularly in the wide positions. The club finalized a £123 million ($165.8 million) deal for their primary target, Bradley Barcola, alongside the acquisitions of winger Victor Muñoz and center-backs Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo, who joins on loan. Despite these additions, Iraola noted that there are still areas within the squad that require strengthening.
“I’m very happy with all the signings we’ve made. I know the next question – ‘Do you want more signings in other positions?’,” Iraola commented. He acknowledged that the club made strategic decisions regarding which players to pursue. “At the end, the club has decided those signings we have done are the ones that improved our team and our position,” he added.
Iraola further explained that some options were not pursued due to various reasons, including whether they would enhance the current squad or financial considerations. He remains optimistic about the quality of players currently at his disposal and is focused on developing the team's potential. “I’m happy now I know what we have, I have a lot of quality in the team and now it is the moment for us, for the players, for me to develop what we have,” he stated.
The signing of Barcola has drawn considerable attention, as Liverpool invested £106 million upfront with an additional £17 million in potential add-ons. However, Iraola mentioned that Barcola may require time to adjust, especially since he has not played since scoring in France's 6-4 defeat to England during the World Cup third-place playoff. Additionally, Barcola did not participate in any of Paris Saint-Germain's pre-season matches, which could affect his readiness for the upcoming fixtures.
With Liverpool set to face Ipswich in their next match, Barcola is expected to start on the bench, having only trained with his new teammates three times. “It is true he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season but he has been training normal with the group and then it’s a decision we have to make,” Iraola noted, emphasizing the need to consider Barcola's lack of match fitness.
On the attacking front, Liverpool appears to be in a strong position, particularly with the retention of Cody Gakpo, who has been a target for Manchester City and Tottenham. Gakpo has made a positive impact in the opening matches of the season, contributing one goal and one assist. Iraola praised Gakpo's professionalism and assured that their communication has remained open throughout the transfer window.
In terms of injuries, defender Joe Gomez is anticipated to return to training next week, while Giovanni Leoni, who has been sidelined for a year due to ACL surgery, is expected to resume training during the upcoming international break. Forward Federico Chiesa is also likely to return at that time, although right-back Conor Bradley and striker Hugo Ekitiké remain long-term absentees.
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