Andoni Iraola has already started to stamp his mark on his inherited Liverpool squad on the pre-season tour of America
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool FC speaks during a press conference in Chicago
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool FC speaks during a press conference in Chicago(Image: Nikki Dyer/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Liverpool's trademark intensity is 'back' under new coach Andoni Iraola, according to midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
Despite missing many senior players who participated in this summer's World Cup, Iraola has started his managerial era with two wins out of two against Sunderland and Wrexham during the club's tour of the US.
Szoboszlai, the club's 2025-26 Player of the Season, impressed in the most recent run-out against the Red Dragons in Nashville, and he believes that his new boss has already brought back one of the Reds' missing ingredients from last season.
Speaking at a tour press conference in Chicago, Szoboszlai said: “It’s very good. I think the intensity what we need, it’s here now. What we have been missing, it’s back from the coach side, from the players’ side as well.
“So now we have to put this together with the quality of the players we have and I think it’s going to be quite nice. I think I can talk from everybody’s side that we want to be successful this season.
“It is long term. Obviously we have a new manager, the team has been changed and it’s maybe not in a couple of months, but in the long term I think it will work out.”
Andoni Iraola during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Sunderland
Andoni Iraola during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Sunderland (Image: (Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))
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Iroala has fielded sides largely composed of fringe and younger players in his first two preseason matches, but he will be able to call upon the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch against Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday.
Earlier this month, Szoboszlai committed his future to the Reds by signing a new contract that keeps him at Anfield until 2031. He joins fellow midfielder Gravenberch in signing fresh terms, but the futures of Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister are less clear.
Jones has entered the final 12 months of his current deal and is subject to transfer interest from Serie A champions Inter Milan. Mac Allister is still on vacation after appearing in the World Cup final for Argentina. He is under contract with the Reds until 2028, but it remains to be seen whether his sale could raise funds for fresh talent.
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