Liverpool Squad Assessment and Summer Priorities

A position-by-position look at who should stay and who should go, with a clear focus on how an Iraola-style system could change certain players. Right-back, right wing and midfield depth stand out.

Liverpool Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers

Keep all of them.

Woodman is a good enough third choice. Mamadashvili is a good enough backup keeper and Alisson is still one of the best in the world.

If a good offer came in for Mamadashvili, then sell him as he is probably not good enough to be first choice in a side with title aspirations.

Fullbacks

Kerkez: keep.

He is one of many players to have suffered under Slot, and he is one of many players who will likely thrive under Iraola. His strengths have been completely ignored and as a result he has underwhelmed. In a team playing to his strengths, he should do very well.

Tsimikas: sell.

Simply not good enough.

Frimpong: keep.

Not because he is a good right back. And not because he has done particularly well, but he offers some useful utility on the right wing, and in the right system, his ability to press with pace could actually be quite valuable. As a result, he retains value as a flexible squad member. There will already be big changes this summer. If we were to sell him, it would make the changes even more significant, which could cause further instability.

Bradley: keep.

We have to keep him because he has a long-term injury. When he is back from his injury, it will really be a case of sink or swim. If he cannot reach a high level relatively quickly, or if he is again injured, then he will have to be moved on.

Ramsey: sell.

Barely plays even when out on loan.

Centre-backs

Konate: gone.

Mentally weak, physically for a guy built like a tank, weak. Loses concentration and focus far too much in games and has been babied by Van Dijk for far too long. Time to leave.

Van Dijk: keep.

Leadership, experience, and still playing to a high quality. He featured in an inordinate amount of games this season, given his age. I would expect recruitment to be made so that his burden isn't as heavy next season.

Jacquet: keep.

We have just signed him. Hopefully, he will come good.

Leoni: keep.

We will have to see how he performs after a serious ACL injury. The only game that he played, in which he got that injury, made him look good. Who knows now, but we must persist.

Gomez: keep.

Has one year left on his contract, we'd get peanuts for him, he can cover multiple positions, and when fit he is decent. Will leave at the end of his contract, but for the sake of squad management and the fact we'd get nowt for him, stay for a final year.

Williams: sell.

Not good enough.

Midfield and attack, plus transfer needs

Gravenberch: keep.

Recently signed a contract and is one of the only players, at least in Slot's first season, who showed considerable improvement. How he fits into an Iraola-style team is still undecided, but he will have to improve his work rate considerably.

Endo: keep.

He has one year left on his contract. The fee that you would get for him will be nominal at best. He is a model professional and, just for backup cover and somebody who you know is going to give everything, is worth one more year.

Bajcetic: sell.

His attitude is not good enough and he lacks the desire to really push himself. Time to cut ties.

Mac Allister: sell.

It is unclear what special qualities he really brings to the team or the midfield. He lacks bite in the tackle. He goes down easily. His passing range is good, but not outstanding. He isn't especially pacey and he isn't especially athletic in terms of covering ground. I think the club can improve on him considerably, and whilst his market value is still high, it would be a good time to cash in.

Szoboszlai: keep.

The only player to emerge with any credit from last season. In an Iraola system, we should see him flourish.

Jones: sell.

He wants to leave. And in fairness, he hasn't really done enough to justify keeping. He is like Gravenberch and Mac Allister, not particularly pacey, not particularly athletic, seemingly incapable of pressing hard enough. I don't think he offers enough to scramble to keep him, and the money we get from him can be used to buy a better player.

Wirtz: keep.

He has shown lots of positive signs in a really turgid system, and in a more attacking dynamic system, his technical ability and ability to turn and move the ball quickly will be utilised to its full potential.

Nyoni: keep.

He is young. He has potential, and above all else, he is now playing for a manager who may well give him the chance to show his potential. If not, a loan beckons.

Gakpo: keep.

And it pains me to say keep, because I've been incredibly underwhelmed by his performances. He is predictable. He isn't particularly quick. He has technical ability, but not much pace. On top of that, he, like many players, doesn't seem to have that tenacity to really press hard and continue to do so for an entire game.

However, there is a limited amount of players we can buy and sell, and I don't think we can afford to sell him and leave ourselves even thinner.

Ngumoha: keep.

It seems very likely to me that he could be first choice next season. He will suit the arrival of a new system down to the ground, and will get far more chances to grow and improve under Iraola.

Chiesa: keep.

For similar reasons to Gakpo, and we don't have a lot of options on the wing, there will already be plenty of sales this summer. He also has the playing style to thrive in an Iraola system. Last roll of the dice for him, but he could be very effective.

Ekitike: keep.

Suffered a really bad injury that could potentially impact his entire career. We will have to see how he comes back, if he can recover he is a huge asset.

Isak: keep.

We don't have any other forward options, so we have to. If we did I would sell him. I am not convinced his body can hold up to the demands of an Iraola system, and we cannot keep carrying players who spend more time injured than on the pitch.

Transfers:

I don't watch enough football to know which specific players we need, but in terms of position and in terms of urgency I would rank it as the following: right back, right winger, central midfielder (x2), centre back, 2nd/3rd choice striker, and back up left back.

Will we sign all these positions? Doubtful. But right back, right winger, and central midfield are clear areas of concern we need to address.

Written by Seano_ June 5 2026 10:48:51