(Photos by Lewis Storey & Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk has hinted that Liverpool’s squad is in need of further investment this summer if it’s to compete on all fronts in 2026/27.
The Merseysiders have already completed deals for Victor Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet (January) and Ronald Araujo (loan), and are in talks to sign Bradley Barcola from PSG.
However, as things currently stand, there are a multitude of gaps in Andoni Iraola’s squad in desperate need of plugging ahead of the September 1 deadline.
Virgil van Dijk sounds alarm over Liverpool’s squad depth
As things currently stand, Liverpool are looking in short in five positions – and we could accept arguments that suggest that five is optimistic at best.
Either way, you can see why Van Dijk is apparently concerned that our squad doesn’t currently look ready to handle the demands of competing on all fronts this term.
“If you look at Bournemouth last season, they were pretty exciting. If we keep working, believing and showing our quality, we can be very excited,” the Dutchman was quoted by BBC Sport.
“We need everyone to be fit. We need a squad that is able to compete on all four fronts, that’s the only way to try to be successful.
“Let’s see what the last couple weeks of the transfer window brings and then let’s go for it.”
Liverpool still haven’t answered the question of what they’re going to do at right-back while Conor Bradley recovers from injury. We’re apparently concerned about the price tag for Ibrahim Mbaye and there hasn’t been any reliable chatter around the possibility of signing cover for Alexander Isak.
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And central midfield? The less said here the better… the only acknowledgement from Liverpool’s end that we’re looking a little short is the decision to put James McConnell’s loan move to Preston on hold after agreeing the sale of Curtis Jones.
Oh, and we’ve only got 12 days to fix all of this. Cue audience laughter.
Andoni Iraola agrees: Liverpool need more signings
Speaking in July, Andoni Iraola confirmed Liverpool’s need for more bodies: “You have to be always open to new options to improve the squad. There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger.”
The ex-Bournemouth boss went on to add: “With the centre-back, with the right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, I think we are very thin right now, so I think it’s a solution that we are trying to find, yes.”
With the greatest respect to Liverpool, its recruitment team, and key decision-makers, we’re now set to leave the Basque unforgivably short this season.
Whatever way you cut it, whatever justification we may hear in the coming days, we’ve no choice but to conclude that our handling of the window has been negligent. We can’t help but feel sorry for a manager tasked with bringing the intensity back to L4 – both on the training pitch and in competitive action – but without the appropriate tools to do so.
Of course, things could change very quickly in the next 12 days, especially once we have some clarity on whether the Barcola deal is going ahead or not.
In that case, Liverpool had better move quickly.
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