Liverpool have already made two new summer signings, but plenty of work remains to hand Andoni Iraola the keys to success at Anfield.
While Liverpool spent £460m last summer, the current makeup of the squad is very complicated. While there are superstars at the club, including Virgil van Dijk, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, there are several key profiles missing.
Arne Slot has been replaced by Iraola as head coach, but there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of the club. Leaders like Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are leaving on free transfers, while the Reds still need a defensive midfielder. Centre-back and right-back are also key areas to focus on, given the free transfers of Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid.
Liverpool will welcome Jeremy Jacquet on 1 July after a £60m agreement was struck with Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in January. FSG also completed a quickfire move to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna, although he will only join the squad in late July after he gets a rest when his international duty with Spain ends after the World Cup.
So, there is plenty of work to be done, and claims in the press suggest that Liverpool are only just getting started.
? Andoni Iraola cumple hoy 4??4?? años.
¡Feliz cumpleaños! ?#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/eDM1f3gYaV
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) June 22, 2026
Two trusted journalists report on Liverpool’s transfer plans for the summer
Speaking on the Born ‘n Red podcast, journalist David Lynch said that Liverpool’s transfer plans for the summer may just be getting underway, with plenty of work to be done to fully equip Iraola for the new season ahead.
Lynch said: “I think there’s potential for five. I really can see two more attackers coming in if Gakpo is sold. I can see two midfielders if you see a Mac Allister and a Jones sale, that doesn’t seem that crazy to say.
“Maybe one more defender who can fill in, who either sorts the right-back thing by moving Joe Gomez over and plays centre-half, or can play right-back and centre-back. That adds up to six total for the summer. I don’t feel that that’s an outlandish thing to say that I could see that based on everything I know at the moment. Real possibility for that.”
Meanwhile, The Athletic’s James Pearce reports on Liverpool’s plan to bolster the Reds’ attack in the wake of Salah’s exit from the club.
He said*: “The plan is to have four high-quality wide options, so Iraola is able to rotate and not overburden players physically.*
“[…] As things stand, if the Diomande deal gets done, it’s set to be the Ivory Coast international, Munoz, Ngumoha and Gakpo providing the creativity from the flanks in the coming campaign.”
Liverpool are still in transition so Iraola will need grace in his first season
When Slot won the Premier League title in his first season, it almost happened too soon. The Dutchman was then held to the very high standard he set in his first year as Liverpool’s head coach.
With Slot’s dismissal now old news, Iraola is likely beginning to understand the pressure that comes with managing a club as big as Liverpool.
With that in mind, it’s important to note that Iraola is not likely to mimic Slot with a title triumph in his opening season as head coach. That said, if he can restore the identity that Liverpool lost over the course of Slot’s time in charge, that will be a success of its own.
Most of the criticism levelled at Slot should not be an issue under the Dutchman. Slot’s team was accused of not working hard enough, having a soft underbelly and being boring. These things are not likely to be an issue under Iraola.
If he is to have long-term success with the Reds, however, he will need grace in order to get his ideas across to the squad.