A Squad Deep Dive as Iraola Takes Charge
Liverpool supporters are sizing up a new era under Iraola, with early incomings and plenty of squad questions. The focus now is who stays, who goes, and what recruitment still looks necessary.
The first official day of a new Liverpool era is today. Andoni Iraola, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper all officially joined Liverpool on 01/07/2026. Following them through the door is French Centre Back, Jeremy Jacquet, who signs for £60m. Also signing is Spanish Forward, Victor Munoz, who signs for €40m.
I thought I'd have a deep dive into where the Officislly listed Senior Squad is at right now, and how many of the players might have a part to play next season.
Goalkeepers:
1. Alisson Becker - he will undoubtedly be our first choice keeper heading into next season and for good reason. Injuries are becoming an issue as he ages, but he's still one of the very best keepers in world football.
25. Giorgi Mamardashvili - this is a hard one to call. I don't think he'll want to stay if he's second choice again. He's at the age where regular football is important. I suspect he'll either be sold or loaned out.
28. Freddie Woodman - he has signed a one year extension so I fully expect him to be either second or third choice keeper next season for us. Homegrown and by all accounts, a very likeable guy to have in the squad.
41. Armin Pecsi - another hard one to call. He's too good to be playing for the under 21's so it feels like the right time to move him up to first team to compete with Woodman for the second choice keeper position. Similar to what we had with Kelleher and Adrian many moons ago.
56. Vitezslav Jaros - he is a very good keeper who may well have been planning on playing for a place in the first team this pre season. Unfortunately though, whilst on loan he suffered an ACL injury earlier in the year which will most likely keep him out until early 2027.
95. Harvey Davies - he is unbelievably still on the books, but that will probably change this summer. Expect a sale or a loan. He won't get any minutes at Liverpool for the first team and he's too old to be playing reserve team football.
Defenders:
2. Joe Gomez - he is the longest serving player at the club having joined in 2015 way back when Brendan Rodgers was still in charge. It's quite an achievement to have dedicated so many years of his adult life to the club. He only has one year left on his contract and I personally think he'll be allowed to run that down and move for free next summer.
4. Virgil Van Dijk - despite reported interest from Turkey, I can't see Virgil leaving. He's the club captain but also most of the defenders we've signed are young players. Virgil's guidance will be vital in this transitional period and as much as he's struggled for form of late, I expect he'll retire from international football and also be rested at club level a lot more going forward. He should be able to keep going until he's 40 much like Thiago Silva, so it wouldn't even shock me to see Virgil stay beyond the one year left on his current contract.
6. Milos Kerkez - he will be absolutely delighted to be reunited with Iraola. He's the manager who got Kerkez playing to such an impressive level, that he was named in the 24/25 Premier League TOTY. He'll be first choice Left Back next season for sure, so expect him to really kick on now.
12. Connor Bradley - the poor guy must be cursing his luck. When Trent Alexander-Arnold left a year ago, Bradley was tipped to replace him in the side, with many saying that his superior defensive ability would maybe even enhance Liverpool as a team. Sadly a serious knee injury derailed all of that and Bradley seems unlikely to be ready for the start of the new season. As a result, it feels very likely a new starting quality Right Back will be signed. Only time will tell where that leaves Bradley long term.
15. Giovanni Leoni - he will really be hoping to make up for lost time. The young Italian Centre Back has used his time out injured to build up his strength in the gym and learn English. Both of these impressive feats of personal development will benefit his chances of breaking into the team next season. He may even be the man to gradually phase out Virgil.
21. Kostas Tsimikas - it looks like our Greek Scouser is coming home! After a turbulent loan spell in Rome, Tsimikas will probably be looking forward to settling back into the squad at Liverpool. He is a perfect candidate to be back up to Kerkez next season. He loves the club, he won't kick off about being a rotation player and he's always put in a shift when called upon. I can't see the value in moving him on, only to sign a new second choice left back.
30. Jeremie Frimpong - this is another very hard situation to predict. Frimpong has really struggled with the physicality of English football. I personally do not see a future for him as a starting Right Back, so where that leaves him is anyone's guess. My guess would be that he'll stick around for at least one more year to act as Right Back cover and Right Wing cover. He's an extremely nice guy and very popular amongst the squad so he won't be disruptive even if his opportunities are limited.
47. Calvin Ramsay - yes, he is still at the club. The young Scottish Right Back will be hoping his Liverpool nightmare ends this summer. He's been so unlucky with injuries, and then when he finally did get fully fit, an injury crisis left Liverpool very thin on options at Right Back. Unfortunately, Arne Slot's reluctance to take risks with team selection left Ramsay watching on as Midfielders underperformed in his preferred position. He'll almost certainly leave this season, barring a quite miraculous turn around in pre-season.
TBC. Jeremy Jacquet - I am extremely excited about this signing. I'd be lying to you all if I said I'd watched him play, but I really like what I've read and the clips I have seen. He looks strong in the air, good on the ball and deceptively quick along the ground. I fully expect him to be first choice Centre Back next season. We've paid big money for him for a reason.
Midfielders:
3. Wataru Endo - this is another interesting one, and my prediction may surprise a few. I actually think Endo might stay at Liverpool. He's retired from international football which should prolong his club career. He's also a very useful utility player capable of playing Centre Back, Right Back, Defensive Midfield and Centre Midfield. For what it would cost to sign a back up Midfielder of his quality, honestly I'd keep him. Iraola plays with a more authentic Defensive Midfielder, so he'll most likely get more opportunities this coming season as a back up and utility option.
7. Florian Wirtz - I fully expect Iraola will build the team around Wirtz. He's an elite talent and probably the most naturally gifted midfielder to play for Liverpool since Phillipe Coutinho. I'm not sure exactly where Iraola will utilise him yet, as Wirtz plays mainly from the Left Wing for Germany with a license to drift wherever he wants. However there seems to be serious interest in more orthodox Left Wingers. That might even indicate he could play in an Attacking Midfield role, pulling the offensive strings. At £116m, there will be pressure on the new coaching team to get the best out of Wirtz.
8. Dominik Szoboszlai - he was our best player last season by far, and I fully expect him to pick up where he left off. He won't be leaving simply because nobody can afford him (he's worth north of £200m if Elliott Anderson and Sandro Tonali are £100-130m players). He will probably even be the vice-captain next season. Whether he plays as a Central Midfielder, an Attacking Midfielder or maybe even a Right Winger is hard to call. He could very feasibly play in all three of those positions and still perform to an elite level. One thing is for sure, his pressing capability will make him one of Iraola's favourites.
10. Alexis Mac Allister - this is probably the hardest one to predict in the whole squad. He probably would like to leave, but again, the market is crazy right now and precedents are being set that will be pushing his valuation up every day. If Argentina have a good World Cup with Macca at the heart of it, he might be subject to some interest from Spain later on in the window. Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid would both suit him as a player, but his form has been so poor for the last 18 months, that they might look elsewhere. Honestly, I think he might stay. He can play Centre Midfield and Attacking Midfield so that versatility gives him a better chance of getting minutes.
17. Curtis Jones - if Slot had stayed this would be quite an easy one to call. Inter Milan are interested, he allegedly didn't like Slot, and he was probably getting fed up of playing Right Back. I do actually still think he'll end up playing for Inter next season and he'll leave having lived out the dream of the whole red half of Liverpool. So fair play to him. Around £25m will probably seal the deal eventually, once Liverpool and Inter meet somewhere close to halfway.
19. Harvey Elliott - what a lifeline the young man has been afforded. This time last year his Liverpool career looked over. Slot just didn't really play a system that suited his talents. As fate would have it, Aston Villa didn't play him enough to activate his permanent transfer away from Liverpool, and as a result he now gets to show Iraola what he can do in pre-season. His ability to play Right Wing and Attacking Midfield gives him a genuine chance of breaking back into the squad next season.
38. Ryan Gravenberch - he's a top player when he wants to be. I fully expect him to be a first choice in Midfield at the start of next season because he advances play quickly and makes vertical ball carrying plays. These skills are crucial in the way Iraola sets up. Whether or not he can hold onto his starting berth will likely depend on his attitude. He was really poor towards the end of last season, but at his best, he's one of the top Centre Midfielders in the Premier League.
42. Trey Nyoni - this kid is the reason why I questioned whether Gravenberch will hold onto his starting role. Nyoni looks to be an exceptional talent. He's finally starting to bulk up and look more physically ready for senior football, and that was the primary worry I had for him. Some of you may remember Jordan Rossiter who sadly never grew to cope with senior football despite his obvious talent, but that does not look like it will be an issue for Nyoni, at long last. He is one of the best forward passers in our squad already and his ability to play Defensive Midfield as well as Centre Midfiekd should aid him in getting minutes next season. One to watch.
43. Stefan Bajcetic - I have seen that he's working hard to be ready for pre-season but my honest opinion is that he's just missed too much football to turn his career around now. It's a shame, because a few years ago I think we all had high hopes for him, but it just goes to show that the most important ability, is availability. I think he'll be sold.
53. James McConnell - the young Midfielder suits what Iraola wants from a player on paper. It's going to be interesting to see if he can break into the team next season. A loan deal feels like a good idea to get him some regular minutes. Failing that, he could play for the reserves and look for opportunities in the Domestic Cup competitions.
Forwards:
9. Alexander Isak - it goes without saying that Isak will be our first choice Striker next season. We've not paid £125m for a back up, and I'm sure when the club were looking at a prospective new Head Coach, they will have been factoring in who could potentially get the best out of the clubs record signing. It's a transfer that has to work because the optics if it doesn't are extremely bad for the reputations of Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. He'd arguably be the biggest flop in Football history if last season is to be the level of his Liverpool career. I think he'll come back strong though and I'm fully expecting him to score over 20 goals next season in all competitions.
14. Federico Chiesa - I absolutely love him. As a player he gives everything, as a person he seems extremely humble and as a team mate I imagine you'd just find his positivity and work rate infectious. Unfortunately, he's not actually that great on the pitch anymore. A career blighted by injury has taken its toll. I think he'll go back to Italy this summer. Hopefully for a transfer fee, rather than a loan. He'll have a last ditch chance in pre-season to break into the plans of Iraola, but I think it won't be enough for him.
18. Cody Gakpo - I was so excited at first when we signed Gakpo and his trajectory has been so disappointing. He seems to have gotten progressively worse to the point he's now extremely predictable for opposition defenders. You could play him in goal and he'd still find a way to cut inside and lash a shot into the first defender. I honestly think he'll leave if an offer of £70m or more comes in. Tottenham seem to be on a crazy spending spree and they have been linked.
22. Hugo Ekitike - a devastating Achilles injury has probably ruled the Striker out until early 2027. As a result, it's highly unlikely he'll have a huge impact next season. The best case scenario I believe, is that he gets back to full fitness for the last few months of the season and feels like a new signing. He's got bags of talent and I think Iraola will really enjoy coaching him when he eventually gets the chance.
73. Rio Ngumoha - wow. What a talent this boy is. Bayern Munich might well be sniffing around, but it's not happening. Whatever Liverpool do with regards to signing Wingers this Summer, it's imperative they leave open a pathway for Rio to come through. He's so gifted so despite the fact he needs to hone his skills and learn to take more responsibility defensively, he's still one of the best 17 year olds in world football. He'll be an important player next season and beyond.
TBC. Victor Munoz - lastly we come to the latest signing at the club. Munoz is very highly regarded in Spain, as evidenced by his call up to the National team for the ongoing World Cup. From the clips I've seen, he looks very direct and extremely fast. He's also able to play Left Wing, Right Wing and as a Striker. I suspect he might be the fourth choice forward next season, rotating with the first choice front 3 and filling in where required. We've had a rich recent history with fourth choice Forwards. If Munoz can replicate anything like what Diogo Jota and Divock Origi managed, he could fast become a cult hero.
Summary:
There's still plenty of work to do in the market. I have more or less predicted here that we will move on Mamardashvili, Davies, Ramsay, Jones, Bajcetic, Chiesa and Gakpo. Having already lost Ibou Konate, Andy Robertson and Mo Salah this would represent quite an upheaval.
On top of Jacquet and Munoz I still fully expect us to sign another Forward (maybe even two), a Midfielder and a Right Back.
It is crucial we allow Iraola to rebuild the team in his image, so keep the faith and dare I say it; Trust the Process!
Discuss rumours and transfers on our Liverpool rumours web page
