Andoni Iraola is reportedly going to try and sign Fran Garcia this summer after working closely with the Spanish fullback at Rayo Vallecano.
Andy Robertson has already been announced as a Tottenham free transfer with the Scotsman’s contract expiring on 30 June. Anfield bid him and Mo Salah an emotional farewell on the final day of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
While Robbo is leaving the club, reports have indicated that Kostas Tsimikas will return to Merseyside this summer after his full-season loan with AS Roma. The Greek fullback will apparently serve as deputy to Milos Kerkez, who starred under Iraola at Bournemouth before his £45m move to the Reds last summer.
However, a new claim suggests that Iraola wants to bring 26-year-old Garcia to Liverpool. The left-back played 122 games for Iraola during their time together at Rayo Vallecano between 2020 and 2023. Garcia moved to the club in 2020 on loan before his move was made permanent in 2021.
Iraola left Vallecano in 2023, but the pair could now be set for a reunion, after Garcia returned to Madrid the same year for a €5m fee after Los Blancos triggered his buyback clause.
Andoni Iraola “is going to try to sign Fran Garcia”
Speaking to The Redmen TV, Spanish journalist Angel Garcia claimed: “The people I spoke to were pretty sure that Andoni Iraola is going to try to sign Fran Garcia.”
?Fran Garcia Next? | Expert Insight w/Angel Garcia
Spanish football journalist @__AngelGarcia__ believes Andoni Iraola & LFC will move for Fran Garcia this summer ?
The Real Madrid LB is entering the final year of his contract????
Watch the FULL SHOW on Redmen Plus ?? pic.twitter.com/r7EgNTM0wy
— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) June 24, 2026
He continued: “Garcia is going to leave Real Madrid this year. I was reading in many Spanish sports magazines that Jose Mourinho does not want Fran Garcia in his team this year.
“There are many teams really interested in signing him in Spain — like Betis — and even in Italy.
“If Real Madrid realises that Liverpool wants to sign Fran Garcia, maybe they could ask for somewhere between €6m and €10m.
“What I know is that Betis in Spain are really, really interested.”
Why Garcia is a great fit for Iraola and Liverpool
Iraola is set to bring a style of play to Anfield that is fundamentally very similar to the heavy metal football that Jurgen Klopp deployed during his time on Merseyside.
Kerkez will be a pivotal part of Iraola’s full-throttle attacking philosophy compared to the suppressed role he occupied during Arne Slot’s second season at Liverpool.
Garcia is a similarly interesting fullback. The stats show why he might be preferred to Tsimikas.
Not only is Garcia more combative, with a 59% ground duel success rate compared to Tsimikas 47% rate, but his ball retention is also much better.