Plenty of Liverpool players will be seeing some changes over the summer and the coming months, with Andoni Iraola's arrival bringing about a few switches both on and off the pitch.
Luke Thrower Trends Writer
15:57, 28 Jul 2026
Andoni Iraola of Liverpool gives a thumb up during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Sunderland AFC
Andoni Iraola is bringing about plenty of changes at Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))
Most Liverpool players are now back for pre-season, but with a twist. The arrival of Andoni Iraola as head coach means there have been some key changes for the roster across plenty of different departments.
The main change comes with the style of play. Gone are the days of control and possession-based soccer, and coming in is a return to the chaotic, intense pressing style that many supporters connected with over the past decade or so.
A switch of approach has come with a fresh take on training, as many key stars have got a first-hand look at what they can expect from Iraola on the training ground.
If the matches on the weekend are intense, then the training on weekdays is a whole other level. During Liverpool's pre-season tour of America, the head coach has got his players doing double training sessions in an attempt to get them conditioned for the new campaign.
Iraola follows a school of thought that if training is more intense than a match, then doing it on the pitch in the league or cup competitions should be easier.
Players have certainly felt the impact of the double training sessions, which, coupled with the intense heat, have left many out on their feet come the end of the day.
Milos Kerkez, who has previously worked with Iraola at Bournemouth, outlined the impact of those sessions and the physical changes that players need to meet the requirements of the manager.
Speaking to the media, via the Liverpool Echo, he said: "If you see the footage of how we all are after training, all lying down, then you can see what he is preparing us for.
“You definitely need legs and good condition for what he wants us to do, but we will be alright. Sometimes we play some games with three or four teams, and he calls it ‘consequences’.
Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez is set to start as first choice this season
Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez is set to start as first choice this season(Image: 2026 Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos)
"The losing team has to run. How much you have to run depends on what he decides in that moment, but there is always running for the team that loses.
“I like to run a lot. It’s why I stay after training. I run from one penalty area to the other. There and back, rest, then there and back again. I’ve always been the kind of guy who has to move. That’s why I can keep on running.”
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For Kerkez, it's a transition that may be a lot easier, considering his own style of play and his previous experience playing for Iraola at Bournemouth.
For others, there are clear questions surrounding how well they can adapt to the new-look Liverpool that Iraola will be attempting to roll out from minute one against Newcastle.
Then there's the potential adaptation from Iraola too, with questions about how he may handle the role, its pressures, and having to play multiple times in a week - all of which will be answered in the coming month.